What is the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative?
The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program, launched in 1991 by WHO and UNICEF, that promotes evidence-based practices in maternity care that promote breastfeeding. At the heart of the BFHI, are the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Hospitals that are Baby-Friendly designated follow the Ten Steps and also uphold the International WHO Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes.
What Hospitals and Birth Centers in Chicagoland are Baby-Friendly?
While there are several hospitals that may be currently undergoing the process of achieving the Baby-Friendly designation, only the following hospitals in Chicagoland currently have Baby-Friendly designation:
- Advocate Sherman, Elgin, IL (2016)
- Advocate Illinois Masonic, Chicago, IL (2016)
- Advocate/Trinity Hospital, Chicago, IL (2016)
- Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL (2015)
- Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Centers, Evergreen Park, IL (2012)
- Presence St. Joseph, Chicago, IL (2016)
- Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (2017)
What Hospitals and Birth Centers in Illinois are Baby-Friendly?
- Alton Memorial Hospital, Alton, IL (2016)
- Kishwaukee Community Hospital, DeKalb, IL (2016)
- Pekin Hospital, Pekin, IL (2016 renewal)
- Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, IL (2015)
- Swedish American Hospital, Rockford, IL (2016)
- St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, IL
- St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur, IL
- Memorial Hospital, Carbondale, IL
- OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington, IL (2017)
- Valley West Hospital, Sandwich, IL (2016)