Welcome to Novant Health GO

Our Baby-Friendly journey

Help give your baby a remarkable start

From your first day of pregnancy, our experts are here to help you give your baby a remarkable start by breastfeeding. Novant Health’s women’s center offers a variety of resources for new families, including classes, appointments and support to help you reach your breastfeeding goals.

Many Novant Health hospitals are on a journey to become baby-friendly hospitals. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global program sponsored by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund to encourage and recognize hospitals and birthing centers that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding.

What is Baby-friendly?

A baby-friendly hospital helps give moms the information, confidence and skills they need to successfully breastfeed their babies. A hospital or maternity center can be designated as a baby-friendly facility when it has successfully achieved the 10 steps to successful breastfeeding.

What to expect at a baby-friendly hospital

Skin-to-skin care, also referred to as kangaroo care, is the practice of holding your diapered baby on your bare chest, with a blanket draped over your baby’s back. This skin-to-skin contact benefits both you and your baby in a number of ways.

Skin-to-skin care helps your baby:

  • Cry less
  • Stay warm
  • Stabilize heart rate
  • Improve immune function
  • Optimize brain growth
  • Stabilize blood sugar
  • Feed better
  • Lose less birth weight & gain weight

Rooming in with your newborn - Rooming in provides the best start for you and your baby. Bonding with your new baby in a nurturing, family environment is important right from the beginning. At Novant Health, we understand and encourage the practice of rooming in, meaning your baby stays in your room with you during your stay.

Exclusive breast milk feeding and breastfeeding support - In addition to being a nurturing and bonding experience for mom and baby, breastfeeding has many health benefits. Breast milk is:

  • The perfect food for infants
  • Easily digested
  • A natural antibody to protect babies against infections
  • The best for brain development
  • Unique protection against disease

At Novant Health, our lactation consultants are certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. Consultants provide personal counseling and support to mothers, from before birth throughout the entire breastfeeding experience. Learn more about our outpatient breastfeeding support center: The Nursing Mother’s Place.