Georgia 5-STAR Hospital Initiative

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Join Georgia’s 5-STAR Team!

Georgia's 5-STAR Hospital Initiative was developed to recognize those hospitals that have taken steps to promote, protect and support breastfeeding in their hospital.  A five-star system has been developed to encourage maternity centers to promote and support breastfeeding one step at a time.   Georgia’s 5-STAR will award one star for every two steps implemented of the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Baby-Friendly® USA.

The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding are:

  1. Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
  2. Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy.
  3. Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
  4. Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.
  5. Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.
  6. Give infants no food or drink other than breast-milk, unless medically indicated.
  7. Practice rooming in – allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
  8. Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
  9. Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
  10. Foster the establishment of breastfeeding support groups and refer mothers to them on discharge from the hospital or birth center.

 

Ready to take your first step?

Schedule an informational phone call by contacting the Georgia Department of Public Health, Office of Women's Health at [email protected].

Georgia's 5-STAR Hospital Participants:

Archbold Medical Center

Augusta University Medical Center

Cartersville Medical Center

Coliseum Medical Center

Colquitt Regional Medical Center

Crisp Regional Hospital

Doctors Hospital of Augusta

East Georgia Regional Hospital

Eisenhower Army Medical Center

Emory Decatur 

Emory Midtown Medical Center

Fairview Park Hospital

Floyd Medical Center

Grady Health System

Gwinnett Medical Center

Hamilton Medical Center

Liberty Regional Medical Center

Martin Army Community Hospital

Memorial Health University Medical Center

Midtown Medical Center

Navient Health

Northeast Georgia Medical Center

Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital

Phoebe Sumter

Piedmont Newnan

Piedmont Newton

Piedmont Athens Regional Medical Center

Piedmont Fayette Hospital

Piedmont Henry Medical Center

Piedmont Mountainside

Piedmont Rockdale

Piedmont Walton

Southeast Georgia Health System

Southern Regional Medical Center

St. Francis Women’s Hospital

St. Joseph's Candler Hospital

St. Mary’s Sacred Heart

St. Mary's Health Care System

Tanner Medical Center

Tift Regional Medical Center

University Hospital

Upson Regional Medical Center

WellStar Cobb Hospital

WellStar Kennestone

WellStar Douglas

Winn Army Community Hospital

Resources:

 

Page last updated 10/13/22