On June 14, 2023, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) awarded Banner North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley and Banner Fort Collins Medical Center with the 2023 Colorado Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence.
The Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence honors hospitals for having implemented at least six of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative’s Ten Steps of Successful Breastfeeding. These are evidence-based policies and practices known to increase breastfeeding success and improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
Banner North Colorado Medical Center earned the award for the first time, while Banner Fort Collins Medical Center has received the honor twice, also winning in 2020.
“Providing a supportive environment for the initiation and continuation of breastfeeding for our patients is so important,” said Roxann Edelmon, RN, director of women and infant services, NICU and pediatrics. “It is not one singular practice that impacts the duration of breastfeeding, but the synergy of multiple practices that supports our patients throughout their journey. This award recognizes the hard work that our lactation consultants, our nursing staff and our obstetrical and neonatal providers do every day in helping our patients succeed.”
In total, the CDPHE honored just 45 hospitals for their efforts to promote breastfeeding and offer healthier food and beverage options through the Colorado Healthy Hospital Compact and Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative. These initiatives are part of the state’s work to promote healthy eating and active living to reduce the rates of death and disease from chronic illness among Coloradans.
“These hospitals have worked hard to create change that supports Colorado families to breastfeed. With over 90% of Colorado families choosing to breastfeed their children each year, such policies and practices are essential,” said Stacy Miller, breastfeeding specialist at CDPHE and facilitator of the Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative.
Learn more about the Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative (CBFHC) at BreastfeedColorado.com.
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