Beebe Earns Recognition as a Maternity Care Access Hospital, Redesignated as Baby-Friendly  

Leaders at Beebe Healthcare are proud to announce that the hospital has been named a Maternity Care Access hospital by U.S. News & World Report and redesignated with highly prestigious international Baby-Friendly designation after a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA. 

The U.S. News designation recognizes Beebe as a hospital that provides maternity services to communities that might otherwise have inadequate access to maternity care. A growing number of communities in the U.S. lack these services and are considered maternity care deserts. U.S. News identified 118 hospitals that provide maternity care services in areas that would otherwise have no access to such care.

“We are incredibly honored to be recognized with these honors that emphasize Beebe’s access and focus on quality care and patient experience,” said Bridget Buckaloo, MSN, RN, Executive Director for Women’s and Children’s Services. “Our Women’s Health team is exceptional and is truly committed to providing care that is quality-centric and safe, while also comforting and compassionate. We have always believed Beebe is the best place for families to bring a new baby into the world, and these recognitions support the hard work of the team. 

Hospitals awarded this recognition must meet quality measures for C-sections, severe unexpected newborn complications, and episiotomies, all while delivering vital maternity care to communities that might otherwise lack access to care and essential services. U.S. News recognizes that hospitals in low access communities may face greater resource constraints than hospitals located in higher access communities.

In Delaware, Beebe Healthcare was the first hospital to earn designation as a Baby-Friendly hospital in 2013.

These standards are built on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) for optimal infant feeding support in the precious first days of a newborn’s life.

“Our successful Baby-Friendly redesignation is the culmination of a lot of hard work and determination across our organization, all with a goal of helping families get off to a good start,” said Julie Oswald, BSN RN IBCLC, Lactation Program Coordinator. “We are proud to offer an environment that supports best practices shown to increase breastfeeding exclusivity and duration and are committed to give moms who choose to breastfeed the best chance for success.”

Beebe provides an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting every woman’s right to make the best decision for herself and her family. 

While the focus of Baby-Friendly is on breastfeeding, it also supports the importance of how a mother and infant bond with each other following birth, regardless of feeding method. 

Immediately after birth, the women’s health nurse gives the baby to the mother to hold on her bare chest, skin-to-skin, to assist in stabilizing the baby’s temperature and blood sugar and to begin the bonding process. Mothers that give birth by cesarean section at Beebe also have the opportunity to have skin-to-skin contact following birth.

There are more than 20,000 designated Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers worldwide. Currently there are 534 active Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers in the United States. The “Baby-Friendly” re-designation is given after a rigorous on-site survey is completed. The award is maintained by continuing to practice the Ten Steps as demonstrated by quality processes.