© 2024 WSIU Public Broadcasting
WSIU Public Broadcasting
Member-Supported Public Media from Southern Illinois University
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Memorial Hospital of Carbondale is Baby Friendly

A program designed to nurture the bonding experience of mothers and their newborn babies is being celebrated at Memorial Hospital of Carbondale.

Hospital officials joined a mother and her baby Wednesday to announce Memorial has been accredited as a Baby Friendly facility, one of seven hospitals in the state with this designation.
The World Health Organization and UNICEF launched the program to tout the health benefits of breastfeeding, which includes lower rates of diabetes, asthma and other illnesses.

Dr. Anna Little is a pediatrician with Shawnee Health Care in Carbondale. She says evidence shows the breastfeeding aspect of the program produces healthier babies.

"We see a lot less babies who aren't gaining weight, who are getting re-admitted for jaundice, things like that. So, just making that transition to home a whole lot smoother."

Baby Friendly hospitals allow more skin-to-skin contact and breastfeeding since newborns room with their mothers for 23 hours a day, creating a stronger bond.

Jenny Ting of Carbondale just went through this experience after having her son. Ting - who is also a nurse in Memorial's birthing center - says the program makes having a baby seem less clinical.

"I got to learn his feeding cues. I got to be a mom from the get-go. It wasn't the nurses taking care of my baby, it was ME taking care of my baby."

Southern Illinois Healthcare pediatrician Dr. Lukasz Dabrowski says the birthing process is stressful, so an important part of this program is supporting moms as much as possible.

"There are so many things happening that we want to make sure that she knows we are out there to help, to make this extremely challenging process a little bit easier. And that's why it's important to have the whole effort with all the staff and everybody involved."

Memorial Hospital of Carbondale embarked on becoming a Baby Friendly facility two years ago and recently earned the designation after completing the 10-step process, which includes helping mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth and giving no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.

 

 

As a news producer and news anchor on All Things Considered, Brad provides the listeners with a recap of the day's top local and state news as well as breaking news at any given time. Contact WSIU Radio at 618-453-6101 or email wsiunews@wsiu.org
As a WSIU donor, you don’t simply watch or listen to public media programs, you are a partner. By making a gift, you help WSIU produce, purchase, and broadcast programs you care about and enjoy – every day of the year.