Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative

The Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative helps Colorado improve breastfeeding rates and support by assisting hospitals with maternity services to implement evidence-based policies and practices. The end goal is supporting hospitals to achieve and maintain Baby-Friendly designation.

The Collaborative supports participating hospitals by providing training, resources and opportunities to improve policies and processes that impact breastfeeding outcomes.

Purple stars = Baby-Friendly designated hospitals. Blue stars = Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative member hospitals.

The Colorado Celebrate 6 Award for Breastfeeding Excellence

The Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative awards hospitals for having a written policy demonstrating implementation of at least six of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative’s (BFHI) evidence-based Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Learn more about the Colorado Celebrate 6 Award for Breastfeeding Excellence.

Members of the Colorado Baby-Friendly Hospital Collaborative

*Hospitals that are Baby-Friendly designated by Baby-Friendly USA, Inc.

Aspen Valley Hospital*, Aspen
Avista Adventist Hospital, Louisville
Boulder Community FoothillsHospital*, Boulder
Centura St. Elizabeth Hospital*, Fort Morgan
Centura St. Francis Medical Center*, Colorado Springs
Community Hospital, Grand Junction
Delta Health*, Delta
Denver Health, Denver
Estes Park Health, Estes Park
Evans Army Community Hospital, Fort Carson
Good Samaritan Medical Center*, Lafayette
Gunnison Valley Hospital*, Gunnison
Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital*, Wheat Ridge
Littleton Adventist Hospital, Littleton
Longs Peak Hospital, Longmont
McKee Medical Center, Loveland
Mercy Regional Medical Center, Durango
Memorial Hospital Central, Colorado Springs
Memorial Hospital North, Colorado Springs
Parker Adventist Hospital, Parker
Parkview Medical Center, Pueblo
Platte Valley Medical Center*, Brighton
St. Anthony North Medical Center, Westminster
St. Joseph Hospital*, Denver
St. Mary’s Medical Center*, Grand Junction
UC Health Memorial Hospital North*, Colorado Springs
University of Colorado Hospital*, Aurora
Valley View Hospital*, Glenwood Springs
Wray Community District Hospital, Wray

Any hospital may join the Collaborative, regardless of whether the facility is pursuing or maintaining a Baby-Friendly designation.

Steps to Join the Collaborative

Review the Collaborative information letter and Baby-Friendly info handout for hospitals.
1. Share materials with hospital leadership.
Review the Collaborative Charter and have it signed by a member of hospital leadership.
Email the signed Charter to Stacy.Miller@state.co.us and provide contact information for all staff interested in being included in email contacts from the Collaborative.

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program started in 1991 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to assist and recognize hospitals that offer an optimal level of care for parents and babies. Baby-Friendly USA implements the BFHI in the United States. Currently, more than 600 hospitals and birthing centers in the United States and more than 22,000 facilities worldwide are Baby-Friendly designated.

BFHI follows three core principles

Human milk fed through direct breastfeeding is the optimal way for human infants to be nurtured and nourished.
The precious first days in the birth facility should be protected as a time of bonding and support not influenced by commercial interests.
Every mother should be informed about the importance of breastfeeding and respected to make her own decision.

Guidelines and recognition

To adhere to guidelines and become recognized as Baby-Friendly, facilities must implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
- The Ten Steps includes procedures important for the health and well-being of parents and babies.
  - With an educated staff, a facility can inform all parents and give them the confidence and skills necessary to successfully begin and continue breastfeeding or safely feed formula.
  - BFHI is about education, allowing each parent to make an informed decision about what is best for their own family.
  - Other aspects of the Ten Steps include practicing rooming-in, where parent and baby remain together during the hospital stay, breastfeeding initiation within the first hour after birth, and breastfeeding education and discharge support to help parents know where to get help.