Mary Rutan Hospital Pediatrics has been awarded Most Breastfeeding Supportive Pediatric Practice in Ohio for 2018 by the Ohio Lactation Consultant Association (OLCA). In addition, The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) have recognized the organization for excellence in lactation care with the IBCLC Care Award.
Both of these awards have been given in recognition for staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification and for providing lactation programs for breastfeeding families that help protect, promote and support breastfeeding. The standard set by the Ohio Department of Health is to provide IBCLC if offering maternity services, Mary Rutan Hospital did not stop with implementation in their Family Birth Center. They went above and beyond by extending services to Mary Rutan Hospital Pediatrics, knowing they could promote ongoing lifetime wellness to those mothers and infants who choose to breastfeed.
Esme Hough, IBCLC Chair of the Board of IBLCE recently stated, “Agencies that are awarded the IBCLC Care Award have dedicated their efforts to promote and provide a lactation program that makes expert assistance available when the breastfeeding family needs it. This is achieved through encouraging and informing breastfeeding families about the benefits and management of breastfeeding as well as training health care professionals to assist families achieve their breastfeeding goals.”
“At Mary Rutan Hospital Pediatrics, we introduced a comprehensive lactation program into the existing medical structure, where mothers and babies get breastfeeding help and follow-up automatically. This allows us to find any feeding issues early and devise a plan of care for mothers and babies to take care of any challenges,” says Tricia Rayl, nurse and IBCLC at Mary Rutan Hospital.
Breastfeeding provides unmatched health benefits for babies and mothers. Infants who are exclusively breastfed have reduced risk of asthma, obesity, type II diabetes, ear infections and SIDS. Mothers have lower risk of heart disease, type II diabetes, ovarian cancer and breast cancer. “Breastfeeding is an investment in health, not just a lifestyle decision. We are honored to have been recognized for our efforts and are pleased to offer this support at Mary Rutan Hospital Pediatrics and the Family Birth Center,” says Rayl.