Milford Regional Medical Center Receives Breastfeeding Achievement Award
Milford Regional received the Breastfeeding Achievement Award from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health for the second time. The 2010 award recognizes institutions with established breastfeeding taskforces that demonstrate the staff’s commitment to newborns and their families by ensuring they receive the best breastfeeding care available.
A few years ago, Milford Regional established a multi-disciplinary breastfeeding taskforce that meets on a regular basis to develop and revise breastfeeding policies and standards of care. They continually share new research, discuss topics for staff education and participate in community outreach projects. The taskforce established a nursing mother’s support group that meets bi-monthly and each year they support World Breastfeeding Week with information packets distributed to participants in our breastfeeding classes and patients in the maternity unit. The taskforce includes certified lactation consultants, registered nurses, pediatricians, dieticians, WIC counselors and a VNA liaison.
The first time Milford Regional received this award, it recognized our increased breastfeeding rates. We demonstrated at least a 10% improvement rate from 2000-2006 in the number of mothers breastfeeding at the time of discharge. “I commend the taskforce and our maternity staff for their efforts which have been recognized twice by the Department of Public Health with this award,” Maternity Nurse Manager Rose Galimi-Hayes, RN, states. “They have put forth a tremendous amount of work in promoting and educating moms in the community and in the Medical Center on the importance of breastfeeding. Our patients benefit from their dedication in this area.”
Pictured from left to right: Kim Sullivan, Lactation Consultant, Rose Galimi-Hayes, Maternity Nurse Manager, Laura Fantini, Lactation Consultant, Sharon Pellerin, Lactation Consultant.