San Francisco General Hospital and Trauma Center

Birth Center: Baby-Friendly Hospital

San Francisco General Hospital is the only Baby-Friendly certified hospital in San Francisco. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative recognizes hospitals and birth centers that provide optimal levels of support for breastfeeding babies and their families.

We follow the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding:

1. We have a written breastfeeding policy and we routinely share it with all health care providers.
2. We train our staff to follow this policy.
3. We tell our mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding.
4. We help all mothers to start breastfeeding within an hour of birth.
5. We show mothers how to breastfeed and how to pump and store their milk if they are separated from their baby.
6. We do not give babies anything except breastmilk unless there is a medical indication.
7. We encourage mothers to keep their infants with them 24 hours a day.
8. We encourage breastfeeding when the baby wants to eat.
9. We do not give pacifiers or other artificial nipples to breastfeeding babies.
10. We refer our breastfeeding mothers for follow-up and support after discharge.

In addition, we follow the World Health Organization’s Code for the Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes by refusing to accept any free or discounted formula or other merchandise from formula companies, and by not giving out anything that contains formula advertising to our parents. If you have any questions about our Breastfeeding support please call 206-MILK (206-6455).

Do NOT email the Community Health Network if you wish to inquire about ANY medical situation or problem. Instead, please call San Francisco General Hospital at 415-206-8000 

Any email question may not be read right away. For issues or questions other than medically related, you may email the Community Health Network