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 may be hospitals that may be currently undergoing the process of achieving the Baby-Friendly designation or may claim similar status, only the following hospitals in Chicagoland currently hold Baby-Friendly designation:
- Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, Chicago, IL (2016)
- Advocate Sherman Hospital, Elgin, IL (2016)
- Advocate Trinity Hospital, Chicago, IL (2016)
- Little Company of Mary Hospital and Health Centers, Evergreen Park, IL (2012)
- Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL (2015)
- Presence St. Joseph, Chicago, IL (2016)
- Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL (2017)
- St. Alexius Medical Center, Hoffman Estates, IL (2018)
- University of Chicago Medical Center, Chicago, IL (2018)
What Hospitals and Birth Centers in Illinois are Baby-Friendly?
- Alton Memorial Hospital, Alton, IL (2016)
- Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana, IL (2018)
- Katherine Shaw Bethea Hospital, Dixon, IL (2018)
- Mercyhealth Rockton Avenue Hospital, Rockford, IL (2015)
- Northwestern Medicine Kishwaukee Hospital, DeKalb, IL (2016)
- Northwestern Medicine Valley West Hospital, Sandwich, IL (2016)
- Pekin Hospital, Pekin, IL (re-designation 2016)
- Rockford Memorial Hospital, Rockford, IL (2015)
- Swedish American Hospital, Rockford, IL (2016)
- St. John’s Hospital, Springfield, IL (re-designation 2018)
- St. Mary’s Hospital, Decatur, IL (2013, re-designation pending)
- Memorial Hospital of Carbondale, Carbondale, IL (2015)
- OSF Heart of Mary Medical Center, Urbana, IL (2017)
- OSF St. Anthony Medical Center, Rockford, IL (2017)
- OSF St. Joseph Medical Center, Bloomington, IL (2017)
- UnityPoint Health – Pekin, Pekin, IL (2006)