Hendrick Medical Center recently re-designated for support of new mothers and breastfeeding
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 Hendrick Medical Center continues improving the health of newborns and infants by earning the Texas Ten Step Program facility re-designation from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The Texas Ten Step Program encourages breastfeeding as the preferred method of feeding for newborns and infants. Hendrick joins a growing number of Texas birth facilities that are supporting new mothers and their decision to breastfeed.
“The Birthplace at Hendrick is proud to join select Texas hospitals in promoting breastfeeding to new mothers,” said Layla Bohall, women’s education manager at Hendrick Medical Center. “This program is an essential element of practicing in accordance to evidence-based standards of care. The program assists mothers to meet breastfeeding goals by ensuring consistent education among providers, nursing staff and families. Hendrick also encourages mothers to participate in proven practices such as skin-to-skin to increase breastfeeding rates.”
Based on the World Health Organization (WHO)/ UNICEF’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the program aims to assist birth facility’s support of breastfeeding mothers before, during and after delivery; encourages them to identify breastfeeding resources for the mother after she is discharged; and assists facilities in improving on national performance measures such as the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Breastfeeding Report Card. The goal of the Texas Ten Step Program is to increase breastfeeding initiation rates to 82 percent.
Texas Ten Step facilities are asked to address 85 percent of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, be designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite, evaluate their breastfeeding policies, maternity care practices and educate all healthcare staff routinely with evidence-based courses.
Hendrick Health System first received its designation as a Texas Ten Step Program facility from the Texas Department of State Health Services in 2013.
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Hendrick Medical Center
1900 Pine St.
Abilene, Texas 79601
325.670.2000
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