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Baby-Friendly Hospitals Support Breastfeeding

We encourage parents of Our Littlest New Yorkers to breastfeed through the NYC Breastfeeding Hospital Collaborative (NYC BHC). This program helps NYC hospitals and birthing centers earn a prestigious “Baby-Friendly” designation.

We are working to increase breastfeeding in the city by partnering with NYC hospitals to provide support for parents to breastfeed their newborns. The goal is to create and bring more Baby-Friendly designated maternity facilities to the city by 2020. 

Since the start of the NYC BHC in 2012, the number of Baby-Friendly maternity facilities in NYC increased from two to 17, of which 15 of the designated hospitals participate in the collaborative.

What is Baby-Friendly?

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a program founded by the World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund that recognizes hospitals and birthing centers that have put in place policies and practices known to increase breastfeeding rates and patient satisfaction.

In the U.S., Baby-Friendly USA is responsible for recognizing facilities that have achieved or are looking to become Baby-Friendly. The designated facilities follow best practices and policies including:

Allowing healthy babies and mothers to stay together 24 hours a day to help encourage breastfeeding and mother/baby bonding

Training and educating staff on how to support breastfeeding families

Offering breastfeeding support and resources to families before they leave the hospital

Additional resources

For more information on breastfeeding, check out our programs and resources:

Our Mobile Milk text messaging campaign provides support and tips for breastfeeding. It is offered in English and Spanish. To enroll in English,     text MILK. To enroll in Spanish, text PECHO.

The Newborn Home Visiting Program and Nurse-Family Partnership offer breastfeeding support, safe-sleep education, breast pumps and cribs to eligible families.

Our Breastfeeding Empowerment Zone initiative offers trainings to     community members on how to support breastfeeding parents and families in Brooklyn.