French Hospital Medical Center is proud to announce that the hospital is a recent recipient of the esteemed International Board Certified Lactation Consultants Care Award.
The highly regarded IBCLC Care Award is presented by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners and the International Lactation Consultant Association. French Hospital earned this distinction in recognition for the French Hospital Breastfeeding Clinic’s staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant certification and for providing a comprehensive lactation program that is readily available to offer support to breastfeeding families.
“Facilities that receive the IBCLC Care Award are to be commended for improving maternal and child health by making breastfeeding a priority and for taking steps to improve breastfeeding support,” said Rebecca Mannel, Chair of the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. “An important part of providing excellent breastfeeding care is having expert assistance available when needed. IBCLC professionals are the health care professionals best suited to provide this help and often make the difference between success and failure for women achieving their breastfeeding goals.”
Facilities receiving the IBCLC Award focus on preventive care and are available during pregnancy to assess mothers and provide information on how to successfully initiate breastfeeding. Accredited facilities also offer breastfeeding assistance following the birth of a child and continue to offer support as a baby grows. In addition, IBCLC Award recipients assist new mothers returning to work or school, in unusual situations such as breastfeeding multiples, an ill or premature infant and help train nursing staff to manage breastfeeding care.
“The recent IBCLC Care Award recognition is a true testament of the strong commitment French Hospital Medical Center has made to provide breastfeeding education and support services to our community,” affirms Ingrid Rodriguez, RN, Director Perinatal Services, French Hospital Medical Center. “Studies show that breastfed babies are healthier than those that are fed with artificial milk and through the efforts of our dedicated Breastfeeding Clinic staff, we are working to further improve the health of Central Coast mothers and babies.”
French Hospital is also accredited as a Baby-Friendly hospital by Baby-Friendly USA for declaring its commitment to the principles of the global Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative and establishing the highest standard possible for the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding. In addition to being the only hospital on the Central Coast to have earned this very special designation, French Hospital is also one of only 57 hospitals and birth centers in California and 146 hospitals and birth centers nationwide to earn Baby-Friendly recognition.
French Hospital is proud offer an outpatient breastfeeding clinic where mothers can schedule consultations with the facility’s experienced International Board Certified Lactation Consultants. In addition, the French Hospital Breastfeeding Clinic also offers the Baby Hour, a breastfeeding support group for nursing mothers to meet with a lactation consultant and other nursing mothers.
For more information about French Hospital’s recent IBCLC Care Award, please contact French Hospital’s marketing department at (805) 542-6498 or (805) 458-1957.