Press Release: First 5 LA Commission Approves Baby-Friendly Hospital

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Project described in the news release below will provide operational support to hospitals that seek the Baby-Friendly Hospital designation in an amount of up to $475,000 per hospital. The project will also implement a range of activities, including a collaborative to outreach to hospitals and a partnership with the California Hospital Medical Center, to fully promote breastfeeding. Some 20 Los Angeles County hospitals with low exclusive breastfeeding rates will benefit from the project.

LOS ANGELES------------ Because hospitals are the only source of breastfeeding support and education for many women, First 5 LA's Board of Commissioners recently approved up to $10.5 million over five years to improve Los Angeles County's low breastfeeding rate. 

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Project will fund efforts to encourage and support breastfeeding policies and procedures at birthing facilities in Los Angeles County, which has a rate of 24.1 percent, compared with a breastfeeding rate of 42.7 percent for the state. 

"All of the studies show that mothers benefit greatly from having full knowledge of the significant benefits of breastfeeding their newborn babies.  We must do what we can to increase that knowledge and hopefully increase the breastfeeding rates, and the best place to start is with the hospitals," said Los Angeles County Supervisor Don Knabe, chairman of the First 5 LA Commission. 

Under the leadership of First 5 LA, a child advocacy and public grant-making organization, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Project will implement a range of programs, including outreach to hospitals and a partnership with the California Hospital Medical Center, to fully promote breastfeeding at some 20 hospitals with poor breastfeeding rates. 

Research shows breastfeeding benefits both mothers and their babies. It also provides a significant cost savings for the health care system and employers. Studies show that breastfeeding improves health outcomes by reducing children's risks for acute infections and sudden infant death syndrome, as well as chronic diseases including asthma, diabetes and obesity. 

Research also indicates that women who breastfeed may have lower rates of diabetes and breast or ovarian cancers. What happens in the hospital or birth center plays a crucial role in establishing breastfeeding and helping mothers continue to breastfeed after leaving the facility. However, many facilities are not providing maternity care that is fully supportive.       

"This underscores the importance of improving the way hospitals and birth centers provide assistance, encouragement and support for breastfeeding," said Karen Peters, executive director for the Breastfeeding Task Force of Greater Los Angeles.  "We have a great deal of work to do to accomplish our objectives related to breastfeeding, and birth facilities can make a huge contribution to this effort."

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Project is a key component of a First 5 LA initiative called Best Start LA, a county-wide effort to create and coordinate local resources and support systems for children 3 years and under.

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