Whitman Hospital receives award for breastfeeding help

Whitman Hospital and Medical Center has received recogniton at the bronze level from the Washington State Department of Health for promoting breastfeeding to help get newborns off to a healthy start. Gov. Jay Inslee launched the "Healthiest Next Generation" initiative with helping children maintain a healthy weight, enjoy active lives and eat well.

As part of the initiative, the Department of Health promotes and encourages breastfeeding through the new Breastfeeding Friendly Washington voluntary recognition program.

Participating hospitals are recognized after completing steps to support breastfeeding with three different levels of recognition at gold, silver and bronze, depending on how many of the 10 steps a facility completes.

Cristi Shindler, OB nurse manager, said Whitman Hospital is proud to join Gov. Inslee and the Department of Health in promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding in Washington. To earn the bronze recognition level, hospitals must implement four of the steps.