June 26, 2019 - Worcester, MA - Saint Vincent Hospital receives international recognition as a designated birth facility by Baby-Friendly USA. This is the first designation given in Central Massachusetts. On Friday, July 19th, the Saint Vincent Hospital Center for Women and Infants will host a celebration in the hospital Atrium at noon to celebrate and educate the community on exactly what this means for the Worcester Community.

Baby-Friendly USA, Inc is the U.S. authority for the implementation of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (“BFHI”), a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). The initiative encourages and recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. Based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, this prestigious international award recognizes birth facilities that offer breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.

“Being named a Baby-Friendly hospital affirms our commitment to ensuring high quality mother/baby care,” says Carolyn Jackson, Saint Vincent Hospital CEO. “Saint Vincent Hospital is one of only 15 Baby-Friendly hospitals in Massachusetts. This designation shows our commitment to providing mothers with the information they need to successfully breastfeed their babies in a stress-free manner”.

There are more than 20,000 designated Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers worldwide. Currently there are 569 active Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers in the United States. The “Baby-Friendly” re-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.

If you are interested in attending the Baby Friendly Celebration at Saint Vincent Hospital on July 19th, please call PR Manager Rhiana Sherwood at 508-308-1969 or email Rhiana.Sherwood@stvincenthospital.com.

Saint Vincent Hospital is an acute care hospital providing general and tertiary medical services to residents of Worcester and Central Massachusetts. From newborns to seniors, Saint Vincent Hospital has a wide-range of inpatient and outpatient services, including open-heart surgery, neurosurgery, cardiovascular medicine, orthopedics and the Saint Vincent Cancer and Wellness Center. Saint Vincent Hospital was founded by the Sisters of Providence and has over a century-long tradition of providing quality healthcare. It was the first hospital in Central Massachusetts to offer robotically assisted surgical procedures and minimally invasive, computer-assisted joint replacements. Saint Vincent Hospital is located at 123 Summer Street, Worcester, MA and has a variety of medical group locations throughout the region. To learn more, visit Saint Vincent Hospital.