The Christ Hospital Recognized by Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies, OBA & OLCA

The Christ Hospital Health Network, along with other maternity centers in Ohio, is taking steps to promote its support of successful breastfeeding.

The Christ Hospital Health Network, along with other maternity centers in Ohio, is taking steps to promote its support of successful breastfeeding. The Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies is a voluntary breastfeeding designation program through the Ohio Hospital Association and Ohio Department of Health that recognizes maternity centers in Ohio for taking steps to promote, protect, and support breastfeeding in their organization. In partnership with the Ohio Breastfeeding Alliance and the Ohio Lactation Consultants Association, the Ohio First Steps program is recognizing facilities with the “Maternity Care Best Practice Award” for 2017. This recognition indicates a facility’s commitment to best practices by choosing to not distribute infant formula or formula company-sponsored sample packs.

In addition to this commitment, The Christ Hospital Health Network is providing information and hospital practices supportive of breastfeeding and the Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies program. These resources are available at TheChristHospital.com.

“It is our hope that Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies will prompt our leaders and employees to have thoughtful conversations in the hospitals and physician offices about the benefits of breastfeeding in order to educate patients and the community,” said Leanne Olshavsky, MD, Associate Medical Director, The Christ Hospital Health Network. “The support a new mother receives from hospital employees and leaders can impact her decision to breastfeed. Increasing the number of breastfed newborns can lead to a decrease in the likelihood for future health conditions for the child such as asthma, diabetes and obesity.”

For more information about Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies, please visit, http://ohiohospitals.org/ohiofirststeps

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About The Christ Hospital Health Network: The Christ Hospital Health Network is an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn with six ambulatory centers and dozens of offices conveniently located throughout the region. The Network is supported by more than 1200 talented physicians and 5800 dedicated employees. Its mission is to improve the health of the community and to create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes, the finest experiences all in an affordable way. It has been recognized by Forbes Magazine as the 24th best large employer in the nation in their America’s 500 Best Large Employers listing and by National Consumer Research as the region’s Most Preferred Hospital for 21 consecutive years. The Network is dedicated to transforming care by delivering integrated, personalized healthcare through its comprehensive, multi-specialty physician network. The Christ Hospital is among only six percent of hospitals in the nation to be awarded Magnet recognition for nursing excellence and among the top five percent of hospitals in the country for patient satisfaction. For more than 125 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves.