A Gentle Caesarian at Heart of Lancaster Using Baby Friendly Techniques
If you have ever given birth at Heart of Lancaster in Lititz, PA, you won’t be surprised to learn that they are taking steps to become an officially baby friendly facility. In fact, you may have thought they already had this certification, since the care you received there demonstrated all 10-steps of a baby-friendly organization. This is applies to vaginal births as well as cesarean births.
Baby-Friendly USA recognizes through scientific research, that breast milk is the most nutritious form of sustenance for a baby. The baby-friendly initiative gives women the best chance at a successful breastfeeding experience. But don’t worry – if breastfeeding is not in your baby care plan, then you WILL be supported in that.
Click here to read about the ten steps to successful breastfeeding, as indicated from Baby-Friendly USA.
The baby-friendly committee at OBGYN Of Lancaster (Heart of Lancaster’s attending physicians) invited Lancaster Doulas to sit in on one of their meetings so we could learn more about their current status. Here are a few things we learned:
- Heart of Lancaster has hired more lactation consultants, so their patients will have greater access to breastfeeding help.
- Heart of Lancaster is now holding monthly La Leche League meetings on the fourth Wednesday of every month from 9:30-11:30am.
- All patients are receiving information about breastfeeding by 32 weeks of pregnancy.
- All nurses and providers will attend 20 hours of training in order to understand the importance of baby-friendly care.
- Pediatricians and nurses who work at Heart of Lancaster are being educated on the importance of skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth. (Encouraging skin-to-skin bonding between mother and baby should take priority over measuring the baby’s weight and length.)
- Heart of Lancaster is committed to making sure every patient understands the free breast pump law and is helping women get their pumps. (If your insurance provides a pump before you deliver, you are encouraged to bring it to the hospital so that the lactation consultants can show you how to use it.)
OBGYN of Lancaster aims to complete the certification by fall of 2015. Since they already have most of the steps well established, this is a very attainable goal!
Did you give birth at Heart of Lancaster? Comment below to share your positive experiences.
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I love Heart of Lancaster. I’ve had 2 vaginal births there so far. I’m glad to see they are continuing the great quality of service to moms and babies. I’m grateful for the breastfeeding support I had with my first. The second time around, my little one needed to go to the nicu and get formula for medically reasons. I was completely on board with this, but the lactation consultants helped me get my free pump immediately so I could pump and take the tiny amounts of milk in to him. I was also able to nurse him in the nicu as much as was medically allowed based on his condition. Everyone was so supportive. When he home, he was exclusively breastfeed and continues to be.
Heart of lancaster is awesome! They absolutely have baby friendly and should I say mother friendly practices in place! these practices definitely make a difference!
I had an emergency csection there, and I had no trouble getting support to breastfeed. I still have a very successful nursing relationship with my now 6 month old. I loved the care that we received at Heart. As a former employee of the women’s place, I’ve seen been on both sides, and have recommended everyone I know to deliver there.