{"id":17043,"date":"2018-07-16T14:05:45","date_gmt":"2018-07-16T20:05:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=17043"},"modified":"2026-04-02T15:20:42","modified_gmt":"2026-04-02T21:20:42","slug":"top-notch-breastfeeding-support-as-more-uchealth-hospitals-earn-presitigious-baby-friendly-status","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/top-notch-breastfeeding-support-as-more-uchealth-hospitals-earn-presitigious-baby-friendly-status\/","title":{"rendered":"Top-notch breastfeeding support as more UCHealth hospitals earn prestigious Baby-Friendly status"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Breastfeeding was easy for Valerie Minarchick when her first daughter was born.<\/p>\n

\"Just
Just days old, Riley Minarchick gazes up at her mom. Among other benefits, breastfeeding promotes bonding between mothers and babies. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Grace, now 20 months, latched right away, then let her mom know when she was hungry and breastfed on demand. No problem.<\/p>\n

But, her little sister, Riley, made an early debut recently. Born on June 29 at just 35 weeks, Riley, like many preemies, has struggled in her first days with feeding and gaining weight.<\/p>\n

\"Riley
Riley is getting bigger and stronger every day. Here she gesticulates after a breastfeeding session. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cShe just came out of the blue,\u201d said Minarchick, 33. \u201cIn some ways, I feel like a first-time mom again.\u201d<\/p>\n

Thankfully, the lactation support team at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> has stepped in to help. Nurses provided Minarchick with donated human breast milk for Riley until Minarchick could produce enough milk herself. And, lactation pros have provided extensive support to ensure that Riley grows and Minarchick succeeds with breastfeeding under more challenging circumstances her second time.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur lactation consultant has been just been fantastic in helping me develop a plan. It\u2019s reassuring that Riley will still be able to breastfeed exclusively,\u201d Minarchick said.<\/p>\n

A research scientist, Minarchick has studied the benefits of breastfeeding and knew she wanted to give her babies her milk.<\/p>\n

\u2018Love the immunities and the bonding\u2019<\/strong><\/h3>\n

\u201cI really like the immunities. Grace has barely been sick. She\u2019s very healthy and I attribute that to breastfeeding,\u201d Minarchick said. \u201cI also really like the skin-to-skin cuddle time. I love being close to my babies.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"A
UCHealth hospitals are getting more “Baby-Friendly.” Nurses receive special training so they can help new moms bond with their babies and get the best start possible at breastfeeding. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The UCHealth system is becoming even more \u201cBaby-Friendly<\/a>\u201d so more moms like Minarchick can get the breastfeeding support they need to succeed.<\/p>\n

Three UCHealth hospitals recently earned the prestigious Baby-Friendly certification<\/a>: UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital<\/a> in May and both UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central<\/a> and UCHealth Memorial Hospital North<\/a> in Colorado Springs in June.<\/p>\n

\"A
UCHealth lactation consultants provided extensive support and tailored plans to help moms breastfeed their babies. Photo by UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cCaring for patients and families is one of our greatest privileges here at UCHealth,\u201d said Kathy Howell, Chief Nursing Executive for UCHealth and Chief Nursing Officer for University of Colorado Hospital. \u201cEvery maternal newborn nurse is empowered with lactation training education for round-the-clock patient care.\u201d<\/p>\n

The World Health Organization<\/a> and the United Nations Children\u2019s Fund (UNICEF)<\/a> launched the Baby-Friendly movement back in 1991 to promote global health by increasing education and support for breastfeeding. In years past, infant formula manufacturers handed out gift bags of free formula in hospitals that often disrupted breastfeeding in their earliest days.<\/p>\n

Supporting breastfeeding during the \u2018golden hour\u2019 and beyond<\/strong><\/h3>\n

More than 20,000 maternity facilities in 150 countries now have the Baby-Friendly designation, including 16 in Colorado. Achieving the status is challenging and hospitals must pledge to support the \u201cTen Steps to Successful Breastfeeding,\u201d<\/a> including:<\/p>\n