Medical City McKinney continues to be a leader in improving the health of newborns and infants by earning the Texas Ten Step Program facility designation from the Texas Health and Human Services Commission for the fifth time.

The Texas Ten Step Program encourages breastfeeding as the preferred method of feeding for newborns and infants. Medical City McKinney provides personalized maternity care which includes breastfeeding support such as on-site lactation consultants and breastfeeding classes.

“Medical City McKinney first achieved the Texas Ten Step Program designation in 2011, and our compassionate caregivers are dedicated to elevating care for our new moms and their babies,” says Ericka Champion, Administrative Director for Women’s Services. “This designation is another reason Medical City McKinney is the destination of choice for expectant mothers in McKinney and the surrounding community.”

Based on the World Health Organization (WHO)/UNICEF’s Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, the program aims to assist a birthing facility’s support of breastfeeding mothers before, during, and after delivery; encourages them to identify breastfeeding resources for the mother after she is discharged; and assists facilities in improving on national performance measures such as the Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) Breastfeeding Report Card. Breastfeeding has many benefits including include decreased risk of infant illness and death and reduced risk for maternal illness.