St. Vincent Services Women's Health Having A Baby Baby-Friendly Hospital

Baby-Friendly Hospital Designation

ONLY THE BEST FOR YOUR BABY, FROM A BABY-FRIENDLY HOSPITAL. BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT FRIENDS ARE FOR. 

baby-friendlyWhen it’s time to welcome your newborn into the world, you want the best care for yourself and your baby. You look for the hospital that’s just right for you... one with labor and delivery options and knowledgeable nurses who will work with you to make your birthing experience as special as possible. 

You’ve got a friend in HSHS St. Vincent Hospital, the only Baby-Friendly hospital in in Green Bay - and Northeast Wisconsin - where your family will be cared for by nationally recognized baby experts. Here, you and your newborn are provided the most advanced maternal hospital care in the area from a highly skilled team backed by medical research to support optimal health and mother-baby bonding. 

Designated Baby-Friendly for You!

Launched by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund, the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that offer the finest level of care for infant feeding and mother-baby bonding. Our goal is to give mothers the information, confidence and skills necessary to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies or safely feed with formula, and the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so.

Learn more about Baby-Friendly and what it means for the care of your little ones, by watching our series of "baby friendly" videos.
 

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What makes a Baby-Friendly hospital special?

 

This designation, sponsored globally by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF), recognizes hospitals that offer the optimal level of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.

Special Opportunities

 

  • All staff are specially trained and dedicated to helping new mothers breastfeed.

  • All newborn babies who are well after birth are immediately put skin-to-skin with their moms as long as they are stable -- even moms who have C-sections.

  • Babies are able to nurse immediately after they are born as long as they are well.

  • Babies are encouraged to stay in their mom’s room so they can be close to their parents and can nurse on demand.

  • Support is available before, during and after your hospital stay.

  • We support all new mothers in whichever method they choose to feed their baby.

Skin-to-Skin Contact

After baby is born, your care provider will place him or her belly-down directly on your chest. This is called skin-to-skin contact. Your nurse will be there with a warm blanket to cover you and your baby.

Quiet time is encouraged during this first hour as this is the time for mom or dad to hold the baby skin-to-skin providing benefits such as:

  • Positive impact on bonding
  • Reduced perception of pain
  • Reduced incidence of postpartum depression
  • Triggers feeding reflexes and increases breastfeeding success
  • Smooth transition for baby to life outside the womb
  • Increased calmness and reduced crying

Mother-Baby Bonding

To help you and your baby to bond, it is encouraged you stay together 24 hours a day. This is called “rooming in” and it has been proven to better prepare you to care for your newborn when you return home.

When baby stays in your room, you will have the opportunity to learn more about him or her and recognize things like feeding cues while hospital staff is around to guide you through those first few nights.

Studies show that mothers get the same amount and quality of sleep when their babies room in as when they are out of the room.

Breastfeeding Support

As a baby-friendly hospital, we value breastfeeding as the best and safest way to feed your baby.

Learn More