French Hospital’s Stollmeyer Family Birthing Center Recognized for Excellence in Lactation Care

SAN LUIS OBISPO, CA – November 13, 2020 – The Stollmeyer Family Birthing Center at French Hospital Medical Center has been recognized for excellence in lactation care by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA). French has also been named Best Maternity Hospital in the Nation by Newsweek, recognizing their ongoing commitment of providing safe, quality care to new mothers and their babies and making French Hospital the premier birthing center in San Luis Obispo County. 

French Hospital has received the IBCLC Care Award in recognition for staffing professionals who hold the prestigious International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC^®) certification and 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 of excellence in breastfeeding, coupled with our designation as a Best Maternity Hospital in the Nation by Newsweek, can give expectant mothers confidence that are receiving the safest and best care possible for themselves and their babies,” says Ingrid Rodriguez,” Director of Perinatal Services, French Hospital Medical Center. “Our credentials are a direct reflection of the dedication of our physicians and staff, and the safety of our facility.”

Norma Escobar, IBCLC Chair of the Board of IBLCE, recently stated, “Agencies 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. This is achieved through encouraging and informing breastfeeding families about the benefits and management of breastfeeding as well as training health care professionals to assist families achieve their breastfeeding goals.” 

IBCLCs 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. 

As allied health care professionals with the leading internationally recognized certification for professional lactation services, IBCLC professionals work in hospitals and birthing centers, clinics, public health agencies, private practice, community settings, government agencies, and in research. There are currently more than 32,500 such professionals in 122 countries worldwide that are IBCLCs. The IBCLC certification program is accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies (NCCA).  NCCA accreditation represents a mark of quality for certification programs.

For more information about the IBCLC Care Award program, contact IBLCE at [email protected].     

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About French Hospital Medical Center
French Hospital Medical Center, located in San Luis Obispo, California, is rated among the top hospitals in the nation.  The Copeland, Forbes, and Rossi Cardiac Care Center provides the latest innovative cardiac and imaging technology, and is home to the Hearst Cancer Resource Center offering free education, resources and support to cancer patients and their families. French is a Dignity Health Central Coast hospital which also includes Arroyo Grande Community Hospital in Arroyo Grande, CA, Marian Regional Medical Center in Santa Maria, CA, St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, CA and St. John’s Pleasant Valley in Camarillo, CA. Dignity Health Central Coast is an integrated network of top quality hospitals, physicians from the most prestigious medical schools, and comprehensive outpatient services, including primary care offices, premier surgery centers, technologically-advanced laboratories, imaging centers and a full service home health agency; all recognized for quality, safety and service.