| John Mitty Monday, August 6, 2012 |
August 6, 2012
St. Catherine's Protects, Promotes & Supports Breastfeeding
Photo: Recent mothers and their babies at St. Catherine’s Lactation Support Group.
World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from August 1st to the 7th in more than 170 countries to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. It commemorates the Innocenti Declaration made by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF policy-makers in August 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond. “We are always respectful and supportive of parents feeding decisions, however as health care providers it is our ethical duty to promote and support what is healthiest for newborns,” stated St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center Lactation Nurse Consultant Jennifer L. Giordano, RN, BSN, IBCLC. “All of the evidenced-based studies strongly support that breastfeeding is healthiest for babies. Therefore we support and promote breastfeeding during World Breastfeeding Week and always.”
St. Catherine of SienaMedical Center recently collaborated with the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) in an 18 month program called Breastfeeding Quality Improvements in Hospitals (BQIH). The collaborative focused on increasing breastfeeding exclusivity rates during hospitalization. The medical center was awarded by the NYSDOH for its contributions. As part of the collaborative, twelve hospitals were asked to stop providing formula bags. “I am proud to say that St. Catherine had already stopped prior to the collaborative and assisted all the other hospitals in ceasing distribution of formula bags.” The Maternity Department recently renovated its postpartum unit and now offers private rooms to encourage non-separation of mother and baby from delivery to discharge. This fosters a Baby-Friendly atmosphere. To help with the breastfeeding initiative new hospital grade breast pumps were recently purchased. Additionally, all St. Catherine’s maternity care nurses are trained in breastfeeding support, with 24 Certified Breastfeeding Counselors on staff.
Holtsville resident, Nicole Ferrara and her eight month old baby Lucia attends the weekly Lactation Support Group, after giving birth at St. Catherine’s and meeting with the lactation specialist. She was happy to share, “I knew I wanted to breastfeed right away and had a goal to do so for one year. Attending the support group sessions has given me the knowledge and confidence I needed to ensure I was doing everything correctly.” She continued. “Breastfeeding is empowering and with the support of Jennifer Giordano, the lactation support specialist, I now feel like an expert.” Mrs. Ferrara expressed how helpful the support group has been and that even after eight months on track with her breastfeeding goal of one year, she still attends the group because she feels it is important to let new mothers know that she had the same concerns and questions, comforting them to know they are not alone.
St. Catherine’s Lactation Support group is just one example of the medical center’s dedication to the continuum of care. The philosophy of family-centered care allows personalized care for the parents, newborn and extended family, including siblings and grandparents. The Maternity Department consists of 5 birthing rooms, 2 operating rooms and a recovery room, which welcomes more than 1,500 babies each year. The seven-bed Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (Special Care Nursery) provides care for newborns by skilled registered nurses, recognized by the National Certification Corporation in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Neonatal Specialty.
St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center offers the following New Beginning Informational Sessions: Prenatal Breastfeeding Class, Lactation Support Group, Family and Friend CPR for Infants, Grandparents Class, Infant Care Class and Mothers’ Circle of Hope Support Group. For more information about Maternity Services and the New Beginnings Support Groups at St. Catherine ofSienaMedicalCenteror to schedule a tour, please call (631) 870-3444 or visit www.stcatherinemedicalcenter.org.
Press Release
Contact: Karla E. Mason
Public & External Affairs
Phone: (631) 862-3523
Fax: (631) 862-3943
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