
Georgia 5-STAR Hospital Initiative

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:
- Have a written breastfeeding policy that is routinely communicated to all health care staff.
- Train all health care staff in the skills necessary to implement this policy.
- Inform all pregnant women about the benefits and management of breastfeeding.
- Help mothers initiate breastfeeding within one hour of birth.
- Show mothers how to breastfeed and how to maintain lactation, even if they are separated from their infants.
- Give infants no food or drink other than breast-milk, unless medically indicated.
- Practice rooming in – allow mothers and infants to remain together 24 hours a day.
- Encourage breastfeeding on demand.
- Give no pacifiers or artificial nipples to breastfeeding infants.
- 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:
- Baby-Friendly USA 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding
- HHS Office on Women's Health
- GA AAP EPIC Breastfeeding Program
- www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding
- La Leche League International
Page last updated 10/13/22