The “baby-friendly” program was created to support mothers and their children. Find out what the Hôpital Ami des Bébés label and the 64 IHAB maternities in France consist of.
What is the Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI)?
Launched in 1991 by the World Health Organization (WHO) and Unicef, Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) offers individualized support to women who have just given birth and their babies, placing their needs at the heart of the healthcare system. Recommended by the High Authority for Health (HAS), the National Health Nutrition Program (PNNS) and the perinatal networks, this approach is coordinated by the association IHAB France which helps maternity wards to apply the recommendations of the WHO and which issues the “Baby Friendly” label“. The HIHA approach is based on three main principles: respect for the individual needs of the mother and the newborn, a reassuring environment for the families and a team spirit enabling quality care.
What support in an IHAB maternity?
IHAB-certified maternities offer individualized support before, during and after birth, to mothers who choose to breastfeed, as well as to those who choose the bottle. If they offer all parents and future parents complete information on the advantages of breastfeeding, these institutions leave them free to make their choice.
Baby-Friendly and Skin-to-Skin Hospital
These maternities also offer all mothers hold their baby skin-to-skin after birth for at least one hour, even in the case of caesarean section and premature birth. Recommended by the World Health Organization and the High Authority for Health, this privileged contact allows the baby to adapt more easily to his new environment. The teams of IHAB-certified maternity units are trained to practice skin-to-skin contact in complete safety.
Which maternities are labeled Baby Friendly?
In total, 64 maternities are labeled IHAB in France which represents around 11% of all French births. In June 2022, eight new maternities have been labeled IHAB: maternity and neonatology of the Perpignan Hospital Center (66), maternity of the Aubagne Hospital Center (13), maternity of the Chauny Hospital Center (02), maternity and neonatology of the Clinique l’Etoile, Aix-en -Provence (13), the maternity of the Sélestat-Obernai Hospital Group (67), the maternity of the Pays Salonais Hospital, Salon de Provence (13), the maternity and neonatology of the CHU Grenoble Alpes, site of Voiron (38) and maternity and neonatology at the Boulogne-sur-mer Hospital Center (62).
In addition, twelve maternities have renewed their certification, which has been extended for 4 years. These are the Maternity unit at the Rhéna clinic in Strasbourg (67), the maternity unit at the Center Hospitalier Emile Borel in Saint-Affrique (12), the maternity and neonatology unit at the Center Hospitalier Gustave Dron in Tourcoing (59), the maternity clinic of the Saint-Coeur in Vendôme (41), the maternity hospital of CH Fourmies, . maternity and neonatology at the Arras Hospital Center (62), maternity at the Erdre et Loire Hospital Center in Ancenis (44), maternity at the Polyclinique du Parc in Cholet (49), maternity and neonatology at the Jura Sud Hospital Center in Lons le Saunier (39), the maternity ward of the Villeneuve d’Ascq Private Hospital (59), the maternity and neonatology ward of the Saint Vincent de Paul Lille Hospital (59) and the maternity and neonatology at the Center Hospitalier de Roubaix.
The list of the 64 IHAB maternities:
- Maternity and neonatology at Clinique l’Etoile, Aix-en-Provence
- Maternity and neonatology at the Boulogne-sur-mer Hospital Center
- Maternity unit of the Sélestat-Obernai Hospital Group
- Maternity and neonatology at the CHU Grenoble Alpes, Voiron site
- Maternity unit of the Pays Salonais Hospital, Salon de Provence
- Maternity and neonatology at the Center Hospitalier de Perpignan
- Aubagne Hospital Center Maternity Unit
- Maternity unit of the Chauny Hospital Center
- Maternity and neonatology of the Seclin-Carvin Hospital Group in Seclin
- Maternity unit of the Auban-Moët Hospital Center in Epernay
- Maternity and neonatology at the Dunkirk Hospital Center
- Maternity unit of the CHU Site Sud Saint Pierre de la Réunion
- Maternity and neonatology at the Hospital Center in Montélimar
- Maternity unit of the Albert Schweitzer private hospital in Colmar
- Maternity unit of the MCO Côte d’Opale Center in Boulogne-sur-mer
- Maternity of the Le Corbusier Hospital Center in Firminy
- CH maternity unit in Saint-Quentin
- Maternity unit at Clinique Saint-Louis in Ganges
- Pertuis Maternity Hospital in Pertuis
- Maternity and Neonatology of the Leonardo da Vinci Health Center, Chambray Les Tours
- Maternity and Neonatology of the Private Hospital Le Bois, Lille
- Maternity and Neonatology Clinic Pauchet, Amiens
- Bluets Maternity Hospital in Paris – 12th
- Maternity hospital of the CH Côte de Lumière in Les Sables-d’Olonne
- CH du Chinonais maternity unit in Saint Benoit la Forêt
- Maternity and Neonatology of the CH of Valenciennes
- Mother Child Center of CH Saint Brieuc
- Maternity unit of Clinique Adassa / Rhena, Strasbourg
- Maternity and Neonatology of the Maubeuge Hospital Center
- CH Tulle Maternity Unit
- Maternity and neonatology at CH Armentières
- Maternity unit at the Bordeaux Rive Droite Clinic
- Maternity and Neonatology at CH Gabriel Martin in Saint Paul
- Maternity and Neonatology of the Clinique de la Sagesse, Rennes
- Maternity Hospital Vitré
- Maternity and Neonatology at Clinique St Grégoire, Rennes
- Maternity hospital at CH Château Thierry
- Maternity unit at the Clinique St Cœur de Vendôme
- Maternity hospital at CH Châteaubriant
- Maternity Hospital of Ancenis
- Park Polyclinic Maternity Unit, Cholet
- Maternity Hospital of Pays de Ploërmel
- Maternity and neonatology at CH Roubaix
- Cambrai Hospital Maternity Unit
- Maternity and neonatology hospital Mont de Marsan
- Maternity and Neonatology of Lons le Saunier CH
- Guingamp Hospital Center Maternity Unit
- Maternity unit of the Cognac Hospital Center
- Maternity and neonatology at CH de Tourcoing
- Arcachon Hospital Center Maternity Unit
- Maternity of the Hospital Center of La Ciotat
- Maternity and Neonatology of GHICL, St Vincent de Paul, Lille
- Maternity and Neonatology of CHRU Lille
- Maternity hospital at CH Hazebrouck
- Maternity hospital at CH Fourmies
- Maternity unit of the Private Hospital of Villeneuve d’Ascq
- Maternity unit of the Saint Côme Compiègne Polyclinic
- Maternity and neonatology at CH d’Arras
- Maternity Hospital of Saint-Affrique
- Maternity Hospital Saint Dié des Vosges
- CH Lillebonne Maternity Unit
- Maternity and Neonatology Clinic Belledonne, Grenoble
- Maternity unit of the Romorantin Hospital Center, Lanthenay
- Maternity unit of St Joseph Private Hospital, Marseille
The CNGOF label, to improve the reception of young mothers
Three years after the testimonies of women denouncing the obstetrical violence suffered during childbirththe National College of French Gynecologists and Obstetricians (CNGOF) has launched a label to improve the well-treatment in maternity wards. Obtained for the moment by about forty maternities, the CNGOF label certifies that the establishment meets 12 requirements concerning in particular the transparency of practices, the systematic implementation of a early prenatal care, the report of the delivery when there was an emergency intervention, etc. Doctors practicing in these labeled maternity units must also offer their patients the possibility of registering on the Maternity website. This platform offers educational videos on pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum and measures the relevance of care as well as the listening skills of the teams thanks to a questionnaire completed by the patients.