News article

Massachusetts Gets Second Baby-Friendly Facility

January 19, 2010

Jubilant staff today celebrated the new Baby-Friendly award given to Cambridge Birth Center. Cambridge Birth Center is now the second facility in Massachusetts to become Baby-Friendly. The first facility, Boston Medical Center, earned the prestigious designation in 1999.

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a WHO/UNICEF program which awards Baby-Friendly status to birthing facilities that implement ten evidence-based steps around best infant feeding practices. Started in 1991, only 86 facilities in the United States are Baby-Friendly, compared with over 19,000 worldwide. Baby-Friendly facilities need to meet a series of strict criteria to be certified. Women who have given birth in a Baby-Friendly facility have repeatedly been shown to have longer duration of breastfeeding even months later, and higher exclusive breastfeeding rates.

The award was presented today by Sarah Coulter Danner, acting president of Baby-Friendly USA. Danner’s grandson was born at Cambridge Birth Center on November 29.

“This is a momentous occasion!” said Kate Reist, the center’s lactation consultant. Cambridge Birth Center is a member of the Massachusetts Baby-Friendly Collaborative, a group of thirteen facilities working together to improve their practices around infant feeding.

Sarah Coulter Danner presents the Baby-Friendly award to Leslie Ludka and Kate Reist of Cambridge Birth Center.

Dr. Bobbi Philipp of Boston Medical Center presents a card from BMC staff to Kate Reist, welcoming the Birth Center as the state’s second Baby-Friendly facility.