South Central Regional Medical Center is proud to announce that it has achieved the highly prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation after a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA, the organization responsible for bestowing this certification in the United States.

This distinguished honor demonstrates that SCRMC is adhering to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. These standards are built on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) for optimal infant feeding support in the precious first days of a newborn’s life.

Maternal Child Services Department at South Central Regional Medical Center

The positive health effects of breastfeeding are well documented and widely recognized by health authorities throughout the world. For example, the Surgeon General’s 2011 Call to Action to Support Breastfeeding stated that “Breast milk is uniquely suited to the human infant’s nutritional needs and is a live substance with unparalleled immunological and anti-inflammatory properties that protect against a host of illnesses and diseases for both mothers and children.”

SCRMC joins a growing list of more than 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers throughout the world, 592 of which are in the United States. These facilities provide an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting every woman’s right to make the best decision for herself and her family.

Cynthia Bonner, RN, Director of Maternal Child Services states, “We are extremely proud to be recognized for the hard work of our team members throughout the Baby-Friendly process. SCRMC is committed to providing the support, education and resources moms need to successfully initiate breastfeeding and continue breastfeeding when they leave our care.”

SCRMC began the journey to become designated as a Baby-Friendly organization in 2018.

Becky Page, RN, IBCLC, Maternal Child Coordinator, states, “When parents choose SCRMC as their birthing hospital they can expect nurses who have the latest evidence based education to help them reach their goal of feeding their infant.  As a Baby-Friendly hospital each nurse has completed 20 hours of breastfeeding education.  Our hospital has exceeded that goal and we now have 5 Certified Lactation Consultants (CLC) and one of a few International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) in our state on staff.  Nurses having advanced education results in our breastfeeding mothers being better educated and more successful upon discharge. Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative has brought cohesiveness to our facility, upholding the highest standards of infant care. South Central Regional Medical Center is proud to have achieved this goal!”

“This designation is the culmination of a lot of hard work and determination across our organization, all with a goal of helping families get off to a good start,” said Bonner. “We are proud to offer an environment that supports best practices shown to increase breastfeeding exclusivity and duration and are committed to give moms who choose to breastfeed the best chance for success.”

About SCRMC

South Central Regional Medical Center was founded in 1952 and is currently a 285-bed, public not-for-profit hospital located in Laurel, MS. The hospital primarily serves a 4-county area: Jones County, Jasper County, Wayne County and Smith County. South Central’s Maternal Child Services has approximately 900 births per year. The facility is a Level II NICU and has 5 Certified Lactation Consultants, one International Board Certified Lactation Consultant and one Nurse Practitioner Certified Lactation Consultant on staff.

About Baby-Friendly USA

As the accrediting body and national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) in the United States, Baby-Friendly USA is responsible for upholding the highest standards in infant feeding care by coordinating and conducting all activities necessary to confer the prestigious Baby-Friendly designation and ensure the widespread adoption of the BFHI in the US. Learn more about Baby-Friendly USA and the BFHI at www.babyfriendlyusa.org.