Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital was again designated as a Texas Ten Step facility by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The program encourages breastfeeding as the preferred feeding method for newborns and infants. Memorial Hermann Sugar Land has been designated a Texas Ten Step facility since 2011.
Based on the World Health Organization (WHO)/UNICEF’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the program aims to assist birth facility’s support of breastfeeding mothers before, during, and after delivery; encourages them to identify breastfeeding resources for the mother after she is discharged; and assists facilities in improving on national performance measures such as the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Breastfeeding Report Card.
“There are many long term benefits of breastfeeding to both baby and mother,” says Ann Kingery, RN, IBCLC certified lactation consultant, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land. “This re-designation acknowledges our commitment to support breastfeeding and give our new moms and their babies the best possible start.”
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land joins a growing number of Texas birth facilities that are supporting new mothers and their decision to breastfeed. The goal of the Texas Ten Step Program is to increase breastfeeding initiation rates to 82 percent.
Texas Ten Step facilities are asked to address 85% of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, be designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite, evaluate their breastfeeding policies, maternity care practices and educate all healthcare staff routinely with evidence-based courses.
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land offers a wide array of women’s services including an outpatient lactation center, high risk pregnancy clinic as well as a 10-bed Level II Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU).
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land is also a recipient of a 2016 Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, the nation’s highest Presidential honor for performance excellence.
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land is located at 17500 West Grand Parkway South, Sugar Land, TX 77479. For more information call 281-725-5000.