Why Having a ‘Baby-Friendly’ Designation Matters for a Birthing Center

February 02, 2025  By: Women's Health Team

Woman with baby after giving birth in hospital

Content medically reviewed by Melissa Christoffersen, BSN, RN, IBCLC

If you’re pregnant, deciding on a birth plan is a big deal. When you’re considering in which hospital to deliver, one thing to consider is whether the facility is “Baby-Friendly,” a designation by the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). While every birthing center is technically friendly to babies, a “Baby-Friendly” designation means something specific for you and your child.

“If a hospital has a Baby-Friendly designation, it provides a gold standard of care for breastfeeding and bonding practices between a mom and baby,” said Melissa Christoffersen, Women’s and Children’s Services program manager at Essentia Health.

What a Baby-Friendly Designation Means

BFHI is a global program designed to support and encourage breastfeeding. In the U.S., hospitals and birthing centers are certified by Baby-Friendly USA through a rigorous process and must meet certain benchmarks to achieve recertification.

“We have to continually audit ourselves and provide ongoing staff education so that we are competent in providing best practice education and support to our families,” Christoffersen said.

To receive a Baby-Friendly designation, hospitals must follow the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding framework, which includes –

  • Complying with international regulations
  • Ongoing data monitoring
  • Written infant feeding policies
  • Supporting and teaching mothers about breastfeeding and other feeding options

Benefits of Choosing Baby-Friendly

A Baby-Friendly birthing center is designed to help moms jumpstart bonding with their baby. Best practices include –

  • Breastfeeding education – Pregnant women and new moms can learn what to expect, get help adjusting to feeding and recognize infants' cues for feeding.
  • Delayed umbilical cord clamping – This helps your baby boost iron levels.
  • Rooming-in 24 hours – Your baby will stay with you after birth at all times unless they need medical care.
  • Uninterrupted skin-to-skin contact – This crucial time helps to improve breastfeeding and promotes bonding.
  • Staff are also trained to help moms deal with common challenges of breastfeeding, such as improper latching and low milk supply.

“Our goal is to help counsel moms and walk them through their decisions,” Christoffersen said. “We then support them regardless of their feeding choice.” 

Essentia Supports Mother and Baby

When you choose birthing centers that offer Baby-Friendly programming, you can feel confident they are following best standards of practice. Four Essentia locations have been designated as Baby-Friendly hospitals –

“A Baby-Friendly hospital is a really wonderful place to deliver because you don’t have to ask for those best practices, such as skin-to-skin contact or keeping your baby in the room with you,” Christoffersen said. “We are held to international standards and accountability.”

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