California is celebrating two new Baby-Friendly hospitals this month and four that have achieved re-designation:
- Adventist Health Reedley (new)
- UCSF Medical Center at Mission Bay (new)
- Adventist Health Simi Valley
- Bakersfield Memorial Hospital
- Salinas Valley Memorial Healthcare System
- Tahoe Forest Hospital District
Baby-Friendly USA is the accrediting body and national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the United States. In achieving this designation, these hospitals have shown to third-party evaluators that they successfully implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, follow the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes; and have widespread understanding of and practice evidence-based infant feeding care.
These designations are timely and important because California Health & Safety Code 123366 and 123367 requires all hospitals with perinatal units to adopt and fully implement — by Jan. 1, 2025 — either Baby-Friendly USA’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the Model Hospital Policy Recommendations, or an alternate process adopted by a health care service plan that includes evidenced-based policies and practices and targeted outcomes.
The California Breastfeeding Coalition will formally recognize and celebrate these hospitals at its Virtual California Breastfeeding Summit from Jan. 24 through 26, 2023.