​Congratulations to Ochsner Medical Center - Kenner in Kenner, Louisiana for becoming Baby-Friendly designated on August 28, 2018! Ochsner Kenner was part of the first wave of the CHAMPS South program from 2014-2017. It is one of many hospitals in the New Orleans area that are now Baby-Friendly, a culture change that is truly remarkable! Ochsner Kenner has approximately 1,100 births per year and a level II NICU.
 
“We are elated to have received Baby-Friendly designation after a long and arduous journey,” shares Jennifer Melton, BSN, RNC, IBCLC, Director of Women’s Services and CHAMPS Team Leader at Ochsner Kenner. “The team has collaborated to change processes and improve patient outcomes.”
 
Ochsner Kenner began their Baby-Friendly journey in late 2014 along with other Ochsner facilities offering maternity services. Jennifer says that having the support of their sister facilities, along with the support of CHAMPS, Gift, Coffective and other facilities in the region kept the momentum going over the last 3 years. 

​Jennifer clearly articulates the difference Baby-Friendly has made in maternity care at Ochsner Kenner: “Mothers and newborns are no longer routinely separated and skin-to-skin contact is encouraged. Through extensive training, the staff feel more engaged and empowered to assist new mothers with breastfeeding. Patients also report feeling better prepared for delivery and breastfeeding. Many patients report excitement at being able to participate in routine tasks, such as the bath, hearing screens, and lab tests. We have also seen improvements in our exclusive breastfeeding rates for both healthy newborns and those admitted to the NICU.”
 
Jennifer would like to thank members of Ochsner Kenner’s Baby-Friendly taskforce, which is made up of frontline staff, lactation consultants, leaders, and physicians. She would also like to especially thank Lactation Consultant Heather Frught, RNC, IBCLC, for playing a critical role in achieving designation. Heather assisted with the writing of the newborn feeding policy, organized and led staff and patient education sessions, collaborated with the OB/GYN clinic, developed patient education materials, and pushed the team to keep going even when facing considerable challenges.
 
Well done, Ochsner Kenner! It has been an honor to work with you! 

​Congratulations to Ochsner Medical Center West Bank in Gretna, Louisiana, for becoming Baby-Friendly designated on September 6, 2018! Ochsner Medical Center West Bank was part of the first wave of the CHAMPS South program during 2014-2017. It is one of 4 Ochsner CHAMPS hospitals near New Orleans, all which are now Baby-Friendly! Ochsner’s West Bank campus had 1219 deliveries in 2017, and they have a Level 3 NICU.
 
“We are excited for our community and families as they are getting the best evidenced-based maternity care,” says Joan Rooney, MSN, RN, IBCLC, Assistant Vice President of Women’s Services and CHAMPS Team Leader at Ochsner West Bank.
 
Ochsner West Bank began their Baby-Friendly journey in 2014 shortly after their sister facility, Ochsner Baton Rouge, became the first Baby-Friendly hospital in Louisiana. Inspired by Baton Rouge’s accomplishment, Ochsner West Bank formed a collaborative network with 3 other Ochsner birthing hospitals, Baptist, Kenner, and St. Anne, and all 4 hospitals also joined CHAMPS. From there, each hospital formed their multidisciplinary, Baby-Friendly teams to begin working on each of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. 

​“With the comprehensive education for patients beginning in the prenatal period, combined with staff and physician training, we knew we could implement and be consistent with all the Baby-Friendly practices, which then resulted in improved patient outcomes,” Joan says.
 
Joan would like to thank all staff members of Ochsner West Bank’s Women’s Services, who were “instrumental in the success of sustaining the ‘every patient, every encounter’ approach,” she says. 
 
She would also like to thank the members of her core, Baby-Friendly team: Shari Lepine, Traci Dufrene, Karen Rowden, Maria Furey, Breana Francipane, Elizabeth Szabo, Laurie Tablan, Rebecca Saacks, Kori DiGiovanni, Nathalie Gilder, Debbie Reynon, Valerie Kelly and Physician Champion Dr. Vu Vuong. 
 
CHAMPS applauds Ochsner West Bank’s hard work and wonderful accomplishment! 

​Congratulations to CHAMPS hospital Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi (BMH-NM) in Oxford, on becoming Baby-Friendly designated on August 23, 2018! Becoming Baby-Friendly designated is a huge accomplishment and the result of many years of hard work. BMH-NM joined CHAMPS in August 2015 and officially began their Baby-Friendly journey in September 2015. They were the first hospital in Mississippi to enter the 4-D pathway after enrolling with CHAMPS! BMH-NM performs approximately 950 deliveries annually and has a level II neonatal intensive care unit.
 
“This is an awesome achievement that many hours have gone into to bring to fruition,” shares Amy Brower, BSN, RNC-OB, CHAMPS Team Lead and Manager of the Women’s and Children’s Unit. “The nursing and support staff here at Oxford have done a tremendous amount of research and implementation in order to make this designation achievable. To be able to say we accomplished this task is a proud moment for all of us.” 
 
Amy came to BMH-NM in January 2017 and says that the number of hours already invested towards designation were “huge.” From the day they joined the 4-D pathway up through Designation, the entire staff at BMH-NM overcame many obstacles in order to implement and promote Baby-Friendly practices. Amy says their biggest challenge was subsequently their sweetest success—maternal audits. She says when mothers started providing positive feedback in their audits, Amy knew that their new Baby-Friendly approaches were being “hard-wired into practice.”

​Amy would like to thank all the nursing staff, Unit coordinators, OB surgical technicians, physicians and administrators for their hard work and dedication. Melinda Lipe, RN, IBCLC, CHAMPS Lactation Lead, was a key player in making Baby-Friendly happen. Dr. Tanya Fitts, MD was their Physician Champion and was instrumental in getting the hospital on the Baby-Friendly pathway and getting CHAMPS involved. Penny Skeen, BSN, RN and Holly Abel, BSN, RN contributed greatly as Amy’s two head nurses and in offering new education and coaching.
 
What is Amy’s advice to other hospitals seeking to become Baby-Friendly?
 
“Keep at it,” she says. “Even when it seems impossible, there is a way to maneuver and balance what you have to get done and what can wait.”
 
Well done, BMH-NM! CHAMPS is very proud of you!