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BABY FRIENDLY USA INC
ALBANY, NY · EIN 043383429 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE E70 · Health Care · Medium ($1M-$10M) · babyfriendlyusa.org
revenue
$2.2M
expenses
$2.0M
net assets
$3.0M
employees
33
volunteers
30
program ratio
87%
mission · from form 990

POSTPARTUM WOMEN AND THEIR INFANTS IN THE UNITED STATES, AS PRACTICING AND MEETING THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION & UNITED NATIONS CHILDREN'S FUND BABY-FRIENDLY INITIATIVE CRITERIA ESTABLISHED FOR THE UNITED STATES. BREASTFEEDING AND FOLLOW THE INTERNATIONAL CODE OF MARKETING OF BREAST-MILK SUBSTITUTES -- PROVIDING MOTHERS AND BABIES WITH THE EARLY SUPPORT NEEDED TO ACHIEVE SUCCESSFUL BREASTFEEDING, AN ESSENTIAL FOUNDATION FOR A HEALTHY NATION.

profile · synthesized from sources

Baby-Friendly USA is a national nonprofit organization that designates hospitals and birthing centers as "Baby-Friendly" in accordance with the World Health Organization and UNICEF's global initiative. The organization promotes evidence-based practices to support breastfeeding and mother-baby bonding, ensuring that facilities provide respectful, individualized care. It works with healthcare institutions across the United States to implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes.

named programs · 2 · from sources

What they call their work

Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
Designates hospitals and birthing centers that meet the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes, promoting optimal infant feeding care and mother-baby bonding
Guidelines and Evaluation Criteria
Provides standardized assessment tools and criteria for hospitals to achieve and maintain Baby-Friendly designation, including staff training, policy implementation, and quality improvement
activities · 3 groups

What they do

  • Reproductive Health Advocacy & Education 1 activity
    • Advocacy for equitable maternity care and breastfeeding support
      Generates public understanding and enthusiasm for best-practice infant feeding care and advocates for improved maternity care practices that reduce racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding rates, particularly in regions like the U.S. South through initiatives such as Mississippi CHAMPS. Participates in leadership roles at local, regional, and national levels to advance breastfeeding policy and equity.
  • Medical Research & Education Dissemination 1 activity
    • Research and publication on breastfeeding and maternal-infant health
      Produces research, educational content, and publications—including over 200 authored papers—on breastfeeding, neonatal health, and maternal care topics. Highlights evidence showing that Baby-Friendly practices reduce racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding success.
  • Uncategorized 3 activities
    • Accreditation of Baby-Friendly birthing facilities
      Acts as the national accrediting body for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the United States, assessing and conferring Baby-Friendly designation to birthing facilities that implement the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and comply with the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes. Conducts on-site and external assessments, reviews blinded reports, and maintains re-designation requirements for continued use of the "Baby-Friendly" designation.
    • Capacity building for healthcare institutions
      Supports hospitals and birthing facilities in transforming policies, culture, and clinical workflows to achieve Baby-Friendly designation, including providing guidance on staff training, data collection, patient education, and quality improvement. Facilitates online communities and collaborates with regional partners to expand breastfeeding support infrastructure.
    • Maintaining and refining U.S. Baby-Friendly standards
      Develops, refines, and upholds U.S.-specific standards and evaluation criteria for implementing the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, including publishing interim guidelines (e.g., December 2019 rooming-in criteria) and ensuring alignment with WHO/UNICEF frameworks and the International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$2.24M
Contributions & grants$00%
Program service revenue$2.03M91%
Investment income$186K8%
Other revenue$15K
expenses
Total expenses$2.01M
Program expenses87%
Admin / overhead13%
Fundraising0%
Salaries & benefits$1.31M
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$3.32M
Cash$3.10M
Investments$0
Liabilities$357K
Net assets$2.96M
Liquid reserves18.5 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +16.0%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
EILEEN FITZPATRICK CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER 38 $123K
ANITA MCLAUGHLIN CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER 38 $101K
board members · 10
  • ANN BROWNLEE — VICE CHAIR
  • BRIAN DITTMEIER — DIRECTOR
  • BRIANNA YVONNE CLARK — DIRECTOR
  • CASEY BLAND — DIRECTOR
  • KINKINI BANERJEE — DIRECTOR
  • LAWRENCE GARTNER — DIRECTOR
  • MARY APPLEGATE — SECRETARY & TREASURER
  • PAMELA BERENS — DIRECTOR
  • SARAH COULTER DANNER — DIRECTOR
  • THERESA LANDAU — CHAIR
relationships · 51

Who they work with

  • Abington Memorial Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in May 2018.
  • Advocate Trinity Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in January 2016.
  • American Academy of Pediatrics Network — Active member and former President of the New York State Chapter 3 of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
  • Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative Network — National authority and coordinating body for the initiative in the United States.
  • Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative Network — National authority and implementing body for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the United States.
  • Berkeley Medical Center Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in December 2018.
  • Carolina Global Breastfeeding Institute Partner — Collaborates to support breastfeeding initiatives across the Carolinas.
  • Carson Tahoe Regional Medical Center Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in June 2013.
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Partner — References CDC data and resources to support evidence-based practices and track breastfeeding outcomes in the U.S.
  • Community Memorial Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in August 2018.
  • Evergreen Hospital Medical Center Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in 1996.
  • Forrest General Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in December 2015.
  • Georgetown University Partner — Collaborated on the development and administration of the first IBCLE exam.
  • Greenville Memorial Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in July 2014.
  • Hancock Regional Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in 2019.
  • Holyoke Medical Center Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in November 2015.
  • International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes Government — Requires compliance with the International Code as part of the Baby-Friendly designation process.
  • Mercy Hospital of Folsom Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in June 2018.
  • National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine Government — Recognized the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding as the standard of care in a national report.
  • National WIC Association Network — Board member and former Chairperson of the National WIC Association.
  • New York State Department of Health Government — Dr. Eileen FitzPatrick, CEO of BABY FRIENDLY USA INC, previously coordinated breastfeeding quality improvement projects with this agency.
  • Northeast Alabama Regional Medical Center Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in December 2011.
  • Norwood Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in April 2019.
  • Perham Health Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in 2019.
  • Saint Agnes Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in October 2018.
  • San Juan Regional Medical Center Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in June 2019.
  • South Sunflower County Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in March 2018.
  • Southcoast Health Partner — Health system with facilities designated as Baby-Friendly in 2011, 2018, and 2019.
  • St. Catherine of Siena Medical Center Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in August 2017.
  • St. Lukes Hospital Partner — Hospital designated as Baby-Friendly in December 2018.
+ 21 more
strategies · 5

How they approach the work

Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.

  • Clinical and Family Engagement Model
    methodology: family_engaged_care
    By promoting early skin-to-skin contact, individualized clinical care, and family engagement in neonatal support, the organization improves infant health outcomes because immediate physiological bonding and tailored professional judgment enhance neonatal survival and developmental trajectories.
  • Commercial-Influence-Free Care Environment
    methodology: commercial_influence_free_care
    By protecting the postpartum period from commercial influence through adherence to the International Code of Marketing of Breast-Milk Substitutes, the organization supports informed, autonomous decision-making because removing formula marketing reduces bias and fosters equitable, dignity-preserving infant feeding support.
  • Public Health Approach to Breastfeeding Equity
    methodology: public_health_approach_to_breastfeeding
    By positioning breastfeeding as the biological norm and aligning care with WHO/UNICEF’s Baby-Friendly Initiative, the organization advances breastfeeding as a public health strategy to reduce racial disparities and improve maternal-infant outcomes because systemic improvements in early care practices can address inequities at scale.
  • Standards-Based Accreditation with Third-Party Certification
    methodology: standards_based_accreditation
    By implementing rigorous, evidence-based standards for the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding and verifying compliance through third-party certification, the organization ensures high-fidelity, equitable implementation of best practices in maternity care because external accountability produces greater adherence than self-auditing.
  • Structured Pathway to Institutional Transformation
    methodology: institutional_transformation
    By guiding hospitals through a structured 4-D Pathway and formal designation process, the organization drives systemic change in institutional policies, culture, and workflows because clear milestones, external review, and recognition improve staff focus and sustain practice change.