Penticton celebrates global and national Baby-Friendly Initiative designation

The health-care teams at Penticton Regional Hospital (PRH) and Penticton Heath Centre (PHC) have received international recognition for their care and support of new parents and their babies.

Both facilities have been awarded the national and global designation for the Baby-Friendly Initiative (BFI), a World Health Organization and UNICEF program that guides optimal care and best breastfeeding and chestfeeding practices.

“This designation recognizes the high standard of care teams in Penticton provide to babies and new parents, giving them the healthiest start on their new journey together,” said Dr. Shallen Letwin, vice president of clinical operations.

In 2019, PRH was chosen among 26 sites in Canada to pilot a national BFI quality improvement project, guided by the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada with funding from the Public Health Agency of Canada. Since the PHC is a close partner in care, a community-based collaborative model was used, allowing the two facilities to work on the project together. This work was also supported by the Systems Change Project, with funding from the Vancouver Foundation. Four years later, PRH and PHC join only three other facilities in the province and 28 across Canada with the official designation.

The BFI is based on a continuum of care from hospital to home and aims to create a health care environment where families receive the best care and information to give their child a healthy future. The BFI supports 10 steps to successful breastfeeding, with one of the key practices being immediate and continuous skin-to-skin contact between parent and baby. This contact benefits all families, no matter how they plan to feed their baby.

“The Goal of the BFI is to make breastfeeding and chestfeeding easier for families by helping them get off to the best start possible, and supporting them for as long as they need,” said Meggie Ross, Penticton’s BFI lead. “With BFI’s 10 steps to successful breastfeeding policies in place at our facilities, we know the family’s experience improves, and breastfeeding rates increase.”

The BFI also supports each family’s choice and gives them the information and support they need to decide how to feed their baby that’s best for their situation. As part of the project, PRH has introduced pasteurized donor human milk from the BC Women’s Provincial Milk Bank as an option for families.

“The Baby-Friendly Initiative is an invaluable global initiative that supports all families,” said Lea Geiger, provincial clinical coordinator for maternal infant health at Perinatal Services BC. “The BFI practice standards enhance the quality of care provided to all parents and their babies, empowering them with the knowledge and resources they need to give their babies the best possible start in life. By placing families at the center of care, these standards promote a holistic approach that leads to greater happiness and healthier outcomes for both parents and babies.”

Learn more:

• To become BFI designated, facilities must adhere to and fulfill the requirements of the 10 Steps as outlined by WHO/UNICEF and adapted by the Breastfeeding Committee for Canada for all healthcare institutions. This process is evaluated by a team of BFI assessors. Learn more at Baby-Friendly Initiative - Breastfeeding Committee for Canada : Breastfeeding Committee for Canada (breastfeedingcanada.ca)
• Canada’s BFI designation plaque “Baby Love 2” was designed by BC artist, Mary Kate Woodward, who currently resides in Penticton. All facilities that achieve the BFI designation receive a plaque.