Gila Regional Medical Center Earns Baby-Friendly Designation for Maternal, Newborn Care

The Women and Newborn Services team at Gila Regional Medical Center has earned the Baby-Friendly designation from Baby-Friendly USA, the national accrediting body for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the United States, the Silver City-based hospital announced.

GRMC achieved the recognition after completing a rigorous review process conducted by Baby-Friendly USA. The designation is an international honor awarded to hospitals and birthing centers that meet the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, a framework of evidence-based practices developed by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children's Fund to support optimal infant feeding during a newborn's earliest days of life.

"We are extremely proud to be recognized for the hard work of our team members throughout the Baby-Friendly process," said Robert Whitaker, GRMC's CEO. "GRMC is committed to providing the support, education and resources moms need to successfully initiate breastfeeding and continue breastfeeding when they leave our care."

Baby-Friendly USA describes itself as responsible for upholding the highest standards in infant feeding care by coordinating and conducting all activities necessary to confer the designation and ensure its widespread adoption across the country.

For families in Grant County and the broader region, including those in Hidalgo County who rely on GRMC as a regional medical resource, the designation signals that the hospital's maternity ward meets internationally recognized benchmarks for newborn care. The Ten Steps framework specifically addresses in-hospital lactation support, staff training, and the resources provided to mothers before discharge, all areas where the certification requires documented compliance.

More information about the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative and the standards GRMC met is available at babyfriendlyusa.org.