Doctors Hospital is the first hospital in the CSRA and only the second in GA to be designated a Baby-Friendly® Hospital.

This important designation recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother/baby bonding.

“We are excited to offer women and their families the first Baby-Friendly hospital in the area,” said Annette Repko, RN, Director of Women’s Services at Doctors Hospital. “We believe our approach to mother/baby bonding and breastfeeding will lead to healthier babies.”

There are 247 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers in the U.S.

Based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, this prestigious award recognizes birth facilities that offer breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.

The Baby-Friendly designation is given after a rigorous on-site survey is completed. The award is maintained by continuing to practice the Ten Steps as demonstrated by quality processes:

  1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
  2. Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy.
  3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
  4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.
  5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.
  6. Give infants no food or drink other than breast-milk, unless medically indicated.
  7. Practice rooming in - allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
  8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
  9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
  10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or birth center