New Jersey Health Commissioner Mary E. O’Dowd will speak at the New Jersey Hospital Association’s New Jersey Mother-Baby Summit June 9. The Summit is designed to promote breastfeeding by assisting maternity hospitals in implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and Baby-Friendly™ designation. The New Jersey Baby-Friendly initiative is supported by the state Department of Health, and Commissioner O’Dowd has personally championed its goals.

Baby-Friendly USA (www.babyfriendlyUSA.org) is an initiative of the World Health Organization and UNICEF. At the beginning of the initiative in New Jersey, there were no designated Baby-Friendly™ hospitals in the state. New Jersey now has four hospitals designated as Baby-Friendly™ and over 20 more hospitals are on the pathway to achieving this important designation.

WHAT: New Jersey Mother-Baby Summit Status of New Jersey Baby-Friendly™ Initiative

WHO: N.J. Health Commissioner Mary E. O’Dowd                   

WHERE: Conference Center at NJHA, 760 Alexander Road, Princeton 08543

WHEN: The Summit runs from 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. View the full schedule here. Commissioner O’Dowd is scheduled to speak at 12:30 p.m.