North Oaks Medical Center is among the first hospitals in the nation to complete EMPower Training, a skills-based competency program to support breastfeeding as optimal infant nutrition.
North Oaks Medical Center is one of 90 hospitals selected to participate in the yearlong training program funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
EMPower’s goal is to improve public health by advancing health care providers’ knowledge of and skills in evidence-based maternity practices that support breastfeeding as optimal infant nutrition.
As part of this effort, North Oaks Medical Center is committed to training its entire Women & Children’s Services nursing staff in accordance with Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, which is endorsed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI).
Tasha Daniel, lead lactation consultant at North Oaks Medical Center, said, “A mother’s milk is always preferred because it provides her baby with ideal nutrition for growth, fighting infection, and promoting brain development. Thanks to EMPower, our entire Women & Children’s Services nursing team is now equipped with the know-how and skills necessary to confidently help new mothers successfully breastfeed. Ultimately, this will lead to better outcomes for our mothers and their newborns.”
The EMPower Team is led by Abt Associates, Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute, and the Center for Public Health Quality.