Methodist West Houston receives mother-friendly worksite designations

Methodist West Houston Hospital has earned Texas Ten Step Program and Mother-Friendly Worksite designations from the Texas Department of State Health Services for its ongoing efforts to support breastfeeding for newborns and infants.

The Texas Ten Step Program is endorsed by the Texas Medical Association and based on the World Health Organization and UNICEF's Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, which can be seen at unicef.org/newsline/tenstps.htm.

"We have worked very hard to earn the Texas Ten Step Program designation," said Vicki Brownewell, vice president and chief nursing officer at the hospital. "And we are proud to join the other select Texas hospitals in promoting breastfeeding to our new mothers."

The Texas Ten Step Program helps hospitals and other birthing facilities support breastfeeding mothers before and after delivery. It encourages facilities as they seek to improve on national performance measures such as the Centers for Disease Control's Breastfeeding Report Card.

The Texas Ten Step Program strives to have 82 percent of infants exclusively breastfeeding after leaving the birthing facility. To accomplish this, facilities adhere to the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and are designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite. They must also evaluate their breastfeeding policies and maternity care practices and educate all health care staff routinely.

To be designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite, there must be designated space, time and support for breastfeeding. Methodist West Houston meets these requirements with a central lactation room that is accessible at all times and with private space for breastfeeding or expressing milk.

Methodist West Houston Hospital is at 18500 Katy Freeway, in Houston.