Petaluma Valley Hospital receives ‘Baby-Friendly’ re-designation

Petaluma Valley Hospital has become the first in Sonoma County to be re-designated as a “Baby-friendly Hospital,” officials announced on Tuesday.

The designation is part of the WHO/UNICEF Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative, which is meant to promote breastfeeding worldwide.

Petaluma Valley Hospital garnered the recognition through its exceptional standards of breastfeeding assistance to new mothers and in turn provided ideal rates of infant nutrition, hospital officials said in an emailed statement.

The hospital reported about 90% of new mothers were able to breastfeed efficiently upon discharge from the birthing center.

“Our team at Petaluma Valley Hospital works exceptionally hard at ensuring we provide the highest quality of care to moms and babies,” said Wendi Thomas, director of nursing at PVH. “This designation is a testament to that effort and one in which we are extremely proud of.”

For the next three years, Petaluma Valley Hospital will be expected to report on established Annual Quality Improvement projects.

In 2007, fewer than 3% of U.S. births occurred in the nation’s 60 Baby-friendly designated facilities. By 2019, those numbers rose to more than 28% of births in more than 600 Baby-Friendly facilities.

Petaluma Valley Hospital is the first in Sonoma County to earn the designation, and just the third in the North Bay, joining Marin General Hospital in Greenbrae and NorthBay Medical Center in Fairfield.

The Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative was established in 1991 in an effort to bolster breastfeeding efforts worldwide. To achieve accreditation, health facilities must demonstrate a rate of at least 75% exclusive breastfeeding among mothers at discharge, according to the WHO.

Amelia Parreira is a staff writer for the Argus-Courier. She can be reached at amelia.parreira@arguscourier.com or 707-521-5208.