Winchester Hospital Receives Prestigious Baby-Friendly Designation
Hospital Is One of 17 in Massachusetts To Earn the Distinction
Winchester, MA – Winchester Hospital today announced it has achieved the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative designation after a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA, the organization responsible for this certification in the United States.
This distinguished honor demonstrates that Winchester Hospital is adhering to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. These standards are built on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for optimal infant feeding support in the precious first days of a newborn’s life.
“I am proud of the Maternal Child Health team for achieving this honor,” said Donna Sherrill, RN, associate chief nursing officer at Winchester Hospital. “The nurses, medical staff, and ancillary staff went through extensive training as part of the Baby-Friendly initiative to learn how to support new moms through education that will help them make informed decisions about feeding their baby.”
Winchester Hospital joins a growing list of more than 590 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers throughout the United States and one of 17 hospitals in Massachusetts. Winchester Hospital and these other facilities provide an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting every woman’s right to make the best decision for herself and her family.
The positive health effects of breastfeeding are widely recognized by health authorities and well documented to lower risks for certain diseases and improved health outcomes for both mothers and babies.
“Winchester Hospital has long been a recognized leader in the care of women and newborns,” said Rick Weiner, MD, president of Winchester Hospital. “This designation is a tribute to our commitment to ensuring that every woman who delivers a baby at our facility is given the resources, information and support needed to help her and her baby get the best, healthiest start in life.”
Winchester Hospital supports their maternity inpatients through onsite lactation consultants as well as outpatient lactation services. Visit the Maternity Services page to learn more about Winchester Hospital's distinguished maternity care.
About Winchester Hospital
Winchester Hospital is a 229-bed facility and leading provider of comprehensive health care services in northwest suburban Boston offering a broad range of surgical specialties, including general, bariatric, urologic, thoracic, otolaryngology (ENT), vascular, and orthopedic surgery. They also deliver care in other areas, including pediatrics, cardiology, pulmonary medicine, oncology, gastroenterology, rehabilitation, radiation oncology, pain management, obstetrics/gynecology and a Level IIB Special Care Nursery.
Winchester Hospital is part of Beth Israel Lahey Health, a health care system that brings together academic medical centers and teaching hospitals, community and specialty hospitals, more than 4,700 physicians and 39,000 employees in a shared mission to expand access to great care and advance the science and practice of medicine through groundbreaking research and education.