Medical City McKinney continues to be a leader in improving the health of newborns and infants by earning the Texas Ten Step Program facility designation from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for the fourth time.

The Texas Ten Step Program encourages breastfeeding as the preferred method of feeding for newborns and infants. Medical City McKinney joins a growing number of Texas birth facilities that are supporting new mothers and their decision to breastfeed.

Based on the World Health Organization (WHO)/ UNICEF’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the program aims to assist a birthing facility’s support of breastfeeding mothers before, during and after delivery; encourages them to identify breastfeeding resources for the mother after she is discharged; and assists facilities in improving on national performance measures such as the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Breastfeeding Report Card. The goal of the Texas Ten Step Program is to increase breastfeeding initiation rates to 82 percent.

Texas Ten Step facilities are asked to address 85 percent of the Ten Steps, be designated as a Texas Mother-Friendly Worksite, regularly evaluate its breastfeeding policies and maternity care practices and educate all healthcare staff routinely with evidence-based courses.

“Medical City McKinney first achieved the Texas Ten Step Program designation in 2011, and we’ve worked hard to maintain this designation and support breastfeeding to our new moms,” said Amanda Faggart, Medical City McKinney director of women’s & children’s services.