Northwest Texas Healthcare System Re-designated as Texas Ten Step Program Facility
Amarillo, Texas — Northwest Texas Healthcare System continues its emphasis on improving the health of newborns and infants by renewing our designation as a Texas Ten Step Program facility from the Texas Department of State Health Services.
The Texas Ten Step Program encourages breastfeeding as the preferred method of feeding for newborns and infants. Northwest joins a growing number of Texas birthing facilities that are supporting new mothers and their decision to breastfeed.
Based on the World Health Organization (WHO) / UNICEF’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the program aims to assist birth facilities' 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. The goal of the program is to have 82 percent of mothers to attempt breastfeeding.
“Our Birthing Center staff have worked very hard to earn and maintain the Texas Ten Step Program designation,” said Mark Crawford, hospital CEO. “And we are proud to join the other select Texas hospitals in promoting breastfeeding to our new mothers.”
For more information on the Texas Ten Step Program, visit www.texastenstep.org.