UNIVERSITY Maternity Hospital Limerick has been presented with an award to acknowledge its continued achievement as a ‘Baby Friendly Hospital’. Baby Friendly Health (BFHI) status is an award in the global programme of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to hospitals that implement best practice in maternity services and provide an environment that supports breastfeeding as the norm.
UMHL was first awarded BFHI Status in 2004 and has upheld rigorous training, audit and other standards to retain its designation.
Hospitals are eligible for Baby Friendly status when they have fully implemented the WHO / UNICEF ‘Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding’ as well as meeting other standards.
Colette Cowan, CEO, UL Hospitals Group said all the staff involved were “proud to accept this prestigious award, which is an acknowledgement for their continuous hard work and dedication in their role to support breastfeeding and best practice”.
“Participating in, achieving and sustaining the Baby-Friendly designation is called for in Healthy Ireland, the National Maternity Strategy, HSE Infant Feeding Policy, HSE Breastfeeding Action Plan , the UN Convention on the Rights of the Children report on Ireland, and many other documents,” Ms Cowan noted.
