Palmetto Health Richland goes “Baby-Friendly”

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COLUMBIA, S.C. (WOLO) — Palmetto Health Richland joins a group of 270 hospitals nationwide, that are designated as “Baby-Friendly.” The Midlands hospital earned the distinction this summer, after three years of working toward it. It’s one of eight hospitals in South Carolina with the designation. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global initiative of the World Health Organization. To be recognized, you must meet ten steps. “They really were targeting hospitals in the southeast, in our region of the country, with these low breastfeeding rates,” says Clinical Practice Specialist in Women’s and Neonatal Service Ashley Locklear. Locklear was a key player in making this a reality. In 2014, the Centers for Diseases Control reports that 73% of South Carolina moms tried to breast feed their babies. That might sound like a high number, but the Palmetto State actually sits in the bottom 30% of all states. The certification came this summer, but the changes are already being felt. Palmetto Health says that in three years, it’s gone from about 60% of mothers leaving their care breastfeeding, to percentages in the eighties. The doctors and nurses in the delivery unit know, though, that not every mother can or will breast-feed. “If a woman chooses to formula feed, we have to support that decision,” Locklear says. “We just make sure it’s educated.” Despite any hesitation or challenges, feedback has been strong. “We see it, our patients see it,” she says, “our friends that come and deliver here see it. So yeah, we hear it.” The hospital’s goal is simple; to give moms the best possible start.