Navajo Times
Sunday, July 12, 2026

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Tuba City recognized as ‘baby friendly’ facility

Tuba City recognized as ‘baby friendly’ facility
Navajo Times | Krista Allen A childbirth teaching model hangs on the wall of the OB-GYN unit at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp. The hospital in late February was designated a baby-friendly facility by Baby-Friendly USA Inc.

Navajo Times | Krista Allen
A childbirth teaching model hangs on the wall of the OB-GYN unit at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp. The hospital in late February was designated a baby-friendly facility by Baby-Friendly USA Inc.

TUBA CITY

As long as a newborn baby does not have difficulty breathing and does not have a problem that needs further care, naked and unbathed, they are put on their mother’s bare chest and will remain there until the first breastfeeding is accomplished at the very minimum.

“Newborn babies getting started with breastfeeding is what we call skin-to-skin time,” said Amanda Heffernan, certified nurse, lactation consultant, and midwife in the OB-GYN unit at Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp.

Heffernan said newborn babies in the past were just made known to their mothers then the health care providers would perform a complete physical assessment and take them to the nursery.

Health care providers at TCRHCC today agree that skin-to-skin contact after delivery is best for mother and baby.

Baby-Friendly USA Inc. in late February designated TCRHCC a “baby-friendly” facility, meaning that the P.L. 93-638 hospital now provides evidence-based, maternity care with the goal of achieving optimal infant feeding outcomes and mother/baby bonding.

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About The Author

Krista Allen

Krista Allen is editor of the Navajo Times.

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