Powell Valley Healthcare was recently redesignated as Baby-Friendly, an honor the hospital has maintained since 2010. PVHC remains the only provider in the state of Wyoming with the designation from Baby-Friendly USA. 

“We were very much the leader in that, and we still are,” said Boni Katz, a member of the PVHC Board of Trustees, a registered nurse and doula, someone who provides guidance and support to women in labor. 

The Baby-Friendly designation is granted to facilities who pass a rigorous review by the international nonprofit. Awardees must adhere to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. 

Katz said breastfeeding promotes health in the mother and her child. Studies show babies who are breastfed are less likely to get type-2 diabetes, she said. They also get sick less often and recover from illnesses quicker. The longer a mother breastfeeds, the lower her risk for breast and all reproductive cancers.

“The list of health benefits is long, and the research is so overwhelming,” Katz said. 

Katz explained that formula is a static substance and, she said, feeding it to babies is like giving someone the same meal everyday. 

“It’s very boring to have the same meal every day. Human milk is a dynamic substance,” she said. “It’s not just nutrition in the sense of vitamins and minerals. Babies also get antibodies. They get hormones. It’s just a boost for their immune system.”

As a Baby-Friendly hospital, PVHC nurses receive specific training to help mothers breastfeed, beyond what is typically in a nursing school curriculum. 

“We are intentional in making sure our nurses are knowledgeable in breastfeeding,” Katz said.

She added that PVHC does accommodate the needs of women who choose not to breastfeed. As part of its philosophy, Baby-Friendly USA seeks to ensure mothers are fully informed about breastfeeding while respecting the mother to make her own decisions. 

Katz said she believes many mothers often make the decision not to breastfeed because they lack good information on its benefits. 

“It’s a lifetime of blessing for the baby and for the mom,” she said. 

The PVHC Obstetrics Department includes OB/GYN physicians, Dr. Jenkins Clarkson and Dr. James Lloyd, family practice obstetrician Dr. Nicole Comer, and Certified Nurse Midwife Ashley Engesser. The hospital is among the more than 20,000 Baby-Friendly hospitals and birth centers around the world.