Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Designated Hospitals

NJBC would like to congratulate and commend each of the 14 NJ healthcare facilities that have achieved Baby-Friendly status.  Date in parentheses indicates each facility’s original designation date.  (List updated on January 31, 2025).

1. Capital Health Medical Center- Hopewell, Pennington, NJ (03/12) Re-Designated 2023-2028
2. Chilton Medical Center, Pompton Plains, NJ (02/18) Re-Designated 2024-2029
3. Cooper Medical Center, Camden, NJ (12/22)
4. Inspira Medical Center Mullica Hill (03/12) Re-Designated 2022-2027
5. Jersey City Medical Center (8/24)
6. Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune, NJ (10/12) Re-Designated 2023-2028
7. John F. Kennedy Medical Center, Edison, NJ (07/19) Re-Designated 2025-2030
   
8. Morristown Medical Center, Morriston, NJ (12/15) Re-Designated 2020-2025
9. Newton Medical Center, Newton, NJ(12/16) Re-Designated 2022-2027
10. Overlook Medical Center, Summit, NJ (11/15) Re-Designated 2020-2025
11. University Hospital, Newark, NJ (12/16) Re-Designated 2023-2028
12. Virtua Memorial Hospital, Mount Holly, NJ (04/19) Re-Designated 2025-2030
13. Virtua Our Lady of Lourdes Medical Center, Camden, NJ (11/16) Re-Designated 2023-2028
14. Virtua Vorhees Hospital, Voorhees, NJ(04/19) Re-Designated 2025-2030

The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program that was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) in 1991 to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother/baby bonding. It recognizes and awards birthing facilities who successfully implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Becoming a Baby-Friendly facility is a comprehensive, detailed and thorough journey toward excellence in providing evidence-based, maternity care with the goal of achieving optimal infant feeding outcomes and mother/baby bonding. It compels facilities to examine, challenge and modify longstanding policies and procedures. It requires training and skill building among all levels of staff. It entails implementing audit processes to assure quality in all aspects of maternity care operations. The BFHI assists hospitals in giving all mothers the information, confidence, and skills necessary to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies or feeding formula safely, and gives special recognition to hospitals that have done so. Learn more.