Reading Hospital - Tower Health has been recognized by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) and International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA®) for excellence in lactation care.
Reading Hospital has received the IBCLC Care Award in recognition of staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) certification and for providing a lactation program for breastfeeding families. In addition, the facility demonstrated that it has recently completed activities that help protect, promote, and support breastfeeding.
“This recognition is reflective of the dedication of our highly skilled team members in the Mother/Baby Unit,” said Mark B. Woodland, MD, Chair, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Reading Hospital. “It is a privilege for our team to work with new families and have the opportunity to educate them on the importance and benefits of breastfeeding.”
Marin Skariah, MSN, FNP-BC, RNC-MNN, C-EFM, IBCLC, and Chair of the Board of IBLCE, recently stated, “Institutions that are awarded the IBCLC Care Award have dedicated their efforts to promote and provide a lactation program that makes expert assistance available when the breastfeeding family needs it. Through the presentation of this Award, IBLCE honors the work of IBCLCs around the world as they strive to advance global public health by providing expert lactation care to families and by promoting breastfeeding care to other healthcare professionals through advocacy and training.”
IBCLC-certified staff focus on preventive care, so they are available during pregnancy to assess and provide information on how to successfully initiate breastfeeding. They continue that assistance after the baby is born by helping families overcome breastfeeding challenges, providing accurate information, and continuing to support them as their baby grows. They assist families returning to work or school, help families in more unusual situations such as breastfeeding more than one baby or nursing a sick or premature infant, and help train nursing staff to manage basic breastfeeding care.
About Reading Hospital
Reading Hospital is the flagship, Magnet Recognized, acute care hospital of Tower Health. Located in West Reading, Pa., Reading Hospital is a 714-bed hospital that is home to many top-tier specialty care centers, including Reading HealthPlex, Tower Health Transplant Institute, McGlinn Cancer Institute, Miller Regional Heart Center, Emergency Department, Level I Trauma Center and Beginnings Maternity Center, which houses the region's only Level III Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). With more than 1,000 physicians and providers across 49 locations, Reading Hospital has been recognized for its quality outcomes and clinical expertise across services lines. It is listed as one of America's 100 Best Hospitals for five consecutive years and received a 5-Star Rating from CMS two years in a row. For more information, visit towerhealth.org.