The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) recognized 45 hospitals for their efforts to promote breastfeeding and offer healthier food and beverage options through the Colorado Healthy Hospital Compact and Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative. These initiatives are part of the state’s work to promote healthy eating and active living to reduce the rates of death and disease from chronic illness among Coloradans.
At the June 14 event, CDPHE honored Delta Health for being Baby-Friendly designated (per Baby-Friendly USA) and awarded the Colorado Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence. Delta Health was honored with the Celebrate 6 Award in 2020 and again this year. The Celebrate 6 Award of Breastfeeding Excellence honors hospitals for having implemented at least six of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. These are evidence-based policies and practices known to increase breastfeeding success and improve maternal and infant health outcomes.
“We are honored that Stork’s Landing received this prestigious designation once again,” said Jan Humphrey, RN, Director of Obstetrics at Delta Health. “This recognizes our hospital’s optimal level of care that is provided by staff for all mothers and their babies. Our team strives to provide compassionate, quality healthcare that our community can trust when it comes to choosing where to deliver their babies. We appreciate this award and what it means for our community.”
CDPHE honored all 14 Baby-Friendly designated facilities in the state for receiving and maintaining the prestigious certification from Baby-Friendly USA. The department supports maternity facilities in pursuing Baby-Friendly designation through the Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative which provides free training and resources to help hospitals implement evidence-based policies and practices that support breastfeeding and optimal infant care.
“These hospitals have worked hard to create change that supports Colorado families to breastfeed. With over 90 percent of Colorado families choosing to breastfeed their children each year, such policies and practices are essential,” said Stacy Miller, breastfeeding specialist at CDPHE and facilitator of the Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative.
The number of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals in Colorado has grown from three in 2013 to 14 in 2023. Over a third of births in the state now occur in Baby-Friendly hospitals each year. These include:
Aspen Valley Hospital
Boulder Community Health
Centura St Elizabeth
Centura St. Francis
Delta Health
Estes Park Health
Good Samaritan Medical Center
Lutheran Medical Center
St. Joseph Hospital
St. Mary’s Medical Center
UCHealth Memorial Hospital Central
UCHealth Memorial Hospital North
University of Colorado Hospital
Valley View Hospital
Learn more about the Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative (CBFHC) at BreastfeedColorado.com or view a complete list of awarded hospitals here. For more information about what the Celebrate 6 Award means for Delta Health, contact Jacqueline Davis, Marketing and Communications Director . For more information about the CBFHC, contact Stacy Miller at stacy.miller@state.co.us or 303-319-1929.
To learn more about Stork’s Landing, Delta Health’s birthing center, visit deltahealthco.org/storks-landing/ or call 970-874-2255.
