Foothills Hospital Wins Baby-Friendly Recognition for Breastfeeding Support

Foothills Hospital recently received an award for successfully achieving Baby-Friendly measures set by the Colorado Department of Public Health & Environment (CDPHE).This means our Family Birth Center meets the highest standards in providing support for breastfeeding by new moms. Indeed, nearly all our newborns breastfeed exclusively by the time they leave the hospital.

BCH president and CEO Dr. Robert Vissers accepted the award with Andrea Tran, certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), and Danielle Zaitzew¸ IBCLC, lactation and childbirth education program coordinator.

The CDPHE’s Baby-Friendly program outlines policies and standards that improve support for breastfeeding.The program is part of the Colorado Healthy Hospital Compact, an agreement by hospitals that share a mission to protect and promote the health of patients, families, visitors and staff by providing healthier high-quality nutrition. In doing so, hospitals are working to develop a culture of wellness and contributing to the state's goal of making Colorado “the healthiest state.”

Many studies show breastfeeding gives babies a healthier start to life, including immune-system and anti-inflammatory benefits that protect against illness. At our Family Birth Center, more than 96% of newborns successfully breastfeed by the time they go home, thanks to heartfelt dedication by our certified lactation consultants and experienced labor nurses.

The breastfeeding support doesn’t stop once new families are at home. We invite new moms to come to the hospital’s free drop-in groups -- Friday Breastfeeding Club and New Moms’ Group -- to meet other moms and get advice from our registered nurses, doulas and lactation experts. In addition, new moms can schedule one-on-one lactation support appointments, call a breastfeeding help line seven days a week, and rent or purchase breastmilk pumps and breastfeeding supplies at the hospital.

We’re proud of our wonderful care team at Foothills Hospital’s Family Birth Center. And we love going to work each day to bring new babies into the world – and to support our patients and their families in every way we can.