Wilford Hall is 'baby-friendly hospital'

  • Published
  • By Linda Frost
  • 59th Medical Wing Public Affairs
LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) --  Wilford Hall Medical Center has been designated a "Baby-Friendly Hospital" through the Texas Department of State Health Services' Texas Ten Step facility program.

The announcement coincided with World Breastfeeding Week 2010 Aug. 1 through Aug. 7.

The Texas Hospital Association and the Texas Department of State Health Services have developed the Texas Ten Step facility program in an effort to improve the health of Texas mothers and infants by promoting breastfeeding.

The goals of the Texas Ten Step facility program are to encourage facilities to reach the target of having 75 percent of mothers breastfeeding at discharge; to help facilities support breastfeeding mothers before, during and after delivery; and to encourage facilities to identify breastfeeding resources for mothers after they are discharged.

Steps taken to become "Baby-Friendly" include providing staff and patients breastfeeding classes and education throughout the year, implementing new operating instructions and newborn admission orders that are breastfeeding-friendly and promoting breastfeeding throughout the hospital.

"The maternal child flight and neonatal intensive care unit staff (members) here have been working diligently to continue improving breastfeeding education throughout the hospital," said Lt. Col. Ivonne Muehlenweg, tthe maternal child flight commander.

"Their goal is to increase the awareness of breastfeeding education in patients beginning with their first visit to the clinic and continuing well after delivery," Colonel Muehlenweg said.

As a result of improvements made by the hospital's breastfeeding committee in educating patients and staff members, there has been a 50 percent decrease in the use of formula in the maternal child flight since April 2010. The goal is to decrease the use of formula another 30 percent within the next six months.

Staff education is offered throughout the year to include in-service opportunities as well as continuing education courses. This gives staff members various opportunities to stay current on breastfeeding training.

(2nd Lt. Crystal Gomez of the 59th Medical Wing contributed to this story)