NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx Celebrates 10 Years of Baby-Friendly Excellence After Prestigious Re-Designation Through 2032
North Central Bronx marks milestone after welcoming more than 11,000 babies while continuing to set the gold standard for maternity and breastfeeding support in the Bronx
Aug 10, 2026
NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx is celebrating a decade of Baby-Friendly excellence at its North Central Bronx location. It recently earned re-designation as a Baby-Friendly facility through January 2032, reaffirming its position as one of NYC Health + Hospitals’ premier labor and delivery programs.
“This is an exciting time for us,” said Dr. Neneh Kamara, Director of Nursing at North Central Bronx. “Being Baby-Friendly for 10 years is a tremendous achievement. We are helping mothers in our community realize that their breastfeeding journey doesn’t have to be difficult because they are supported every step of the way. Baby-Friendly is not only about taking care of the mother—it’s about caring for the entire family and ensuring positive outcomes.”
During the past decade, the Labor and Delivery Department at North Central Bronx has welcomed 11,015 babies, providing thousands of families with evidence-based maternity care that promotes breastfeeding and strengthens family bonds.
Baby-Friendly USA awarded the re-designation following a rigorous review process confirming that North Central Bronx continues to meet the internationally recognized Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF.
Dr. Kamara credited the achievement to the commitment of the hospital’s multidisciplinary team.
“Our nurses, physicians, and staff are specially trained to educate and support mothers from the prenatal period through labor, delivery and postpartum,” she said. “This designation isn’t easy to maintain. It shows that our education is creating a lasting difference for families.”
“This 10th anniversary re-designation reflects North Central Bronx’s commitment to excellence in maternal and newborn care. Every member of our Maternal Child Health team plays a vital role in creating a safe and supportive environment where mothers and families feel supported,” said NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx Chief Operating Officer Alfredo Jones. “We are proud to celebrate this achievement, and remain dedicated to ensuring that every family who walks through our doors receives the highest standard of compassionate, person centered care.”
The facility’s devotion to compassionate, patient-centered care is reflected in the experiences of mothers like Imani Green, who delivered her daughter, Xiulan Amor Ruvé Simon, on July 5.
“I had really good midwives and nurses,” Green said. “They got me into triage fast and made me feel comfortable even though I had complications. They explained everything in detail, and I always understood what was happening. I would recommend North Central Bronx to anybody who’s pregnant—they’re amazing.”
Immediately after birth, Green’s newborn daughter was placed skin-to-skin on her chest, one of the evidence-based practices encouraged under Baby-Friendly standards to promote bonding and successful breastfeeding.
“They were very attentive to everything that was going on,” Green said. “My doula recommended me to come here because they said they had the best labor and delivery team.”
North Central Bronx has also celebrated many memorable births over the past decade, including the remarkable story of sisters Jenny Aguilar and Wendy Aguilar, who delivered healthy babies just hours apart.
The hospital will commemorate its Baby-Friendly re-designation and 10-year anniversary during a special celebration on August 5, commending the dedicated physicians, nurses, midwives, and staff.
The Baby-Friendly designation recognizes hospitals that follow the highest standards of infant feeding support while ensuring mothers and babies receive the safest, highest-quality start to life.
For almost fifty years, North Central Bronx has stood as a cornerstone of the community, delivering not just babies, but generations of families who call the Bronx home.
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Contact: Rawle Titus, NYC Health + Hospitals/North Central Bronx, 332-259-2512
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About NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx
The Jacobi campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx is a 457-bed teaching hospital affiliated with the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. The facility has earned numerous Center of Excellence designations, accreditation, and recognition for its renowned Level 1 Trauma Center, Burn Center, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, regional Stroke Center, Snakebite Treatment Center, Breast Health Center, Bariatric Surgery Center, and Cancer Service. The facility also offers the region’s only multi-person hyperbaric chamber, allowing up to nine patients to dive together at one time. Jacobi’s Ambulatory Care Pavilion is a stunning complement to its inpatient acute care, allowing staff to provide patients with high-quality service in a modern, state-of-the-art environment. For more information visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/jacobi/.
The North Central Bronx campus of NYC Health + Hospitals/Jacobi | North Central Bronx is a member facility of the NYC Health + Hospitals system, one of eleven acute care facilities within the City of New York. A 215-bed community hospital, North Central Bronx specializes in women’s and children’s services. It also provides Behavioral Health acute and ambulatory care. Its busy outpatient department has led the way in community-based care delivered in a compassionate and culturally-appropriate manner. Its Labor and Delivery service safely brings more than 1,000 babies into the world each year. North Central Bronx is committed to providing safe, high-quality medical care for any and all in need. For more information visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org/north-central-bronx/.
About NYC Health + Hospitals
NYC Health + Hospitals is the largest municipal health care system in the nation serving more than a million New Yorkers annually in more than 70 patient care locations across the city’s five boroughs. A robust network of outpatient, neighborhood-based primary and specialty care centers anchors care coordination with the system’s trauma centers, nursing homes, post-acute care centers, home care agency, and MetroPlusHealth —all supported by 11 essential hospitals. Its diverse workforce of more than 46,000 employees is uniquely focused on empowering New Yorkers, without exception, to live the healthiest life possible. For more information, visit www.nychealthandhospitals.org and stay connected on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.