Hospital delivers

BABIES at Casey Hospital are being given the best possible start in life.
Last Friday, the Berwick facility was officially named a baby-friendly hospital after receiving accreditation from the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UNICEF.
Hospital maternity staff spent hours increasing their skills and knowledge of infant feeding to achieve the new accreditation, gaining breastfeeding knowledge and information on lactation.
Assessors from the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative interviewed midwives, doctors and patients before accrediting the hospital.
Casey midwifery services manager Kym Davey said the maternity unit was opened in March last year.
“It’s a lengthy process and the assessors didn’t think we would receive it as we had only just opened when they started their assessment process in December 2005,” she said.
Assessor and breastfeeding counsellor Karen Commisso said she was impressed by Casey Hospital’s maternity unit.
“A lot of mothers here have had babies at other hospitals and have commented how positive the experience has been at Casey Hospital.”
First-time mother Rebecca Frazer, of Bunyip, gave birth to Maddison Frazer Smith last Wednesday and said the staff had helped her with breastfeeding skills.