Hospitals Rated “Best” for Maternity Care Are More Likely to Be Baby-Friendly Designated

Utilizing objective measures of quality such as C-section rates in lower-risk pregnancies, severe unexpected newborn complication rates, exclusive breast milk feeding rates, birthing-friendly practices, and reporting on racial/ethnic disparities, U.S. News has published its list of the 2025 Best Hospitals for Maternity Care.

139 of the 414 hospitals on the list (34%) are Baby-Friendly designated. This is a much higher proportion than the percentage of maternity hospitals in the United States that hold the designation (approximately 20%).

Based on this data, U.S. News observes that:

Hospitals rated “best” for maternity care are 47% more likely to be designated as “Baby-Friendly” by Baby Friendly USA, indicating a hospital has taken important steps to support breastfeeding.

“It’s no surprise that a high proportion of Baby-Friendly designated hospitals are among the highest performing maternity care facilities in the country,” said Eileen FitzPatrick, BFUSA’s CEO. “The Baby-Friendly designation requires rigorous compliance with the highest standards of evidence-based care to help families achieve their infant feeding goals. We congratulate all of the hospitals who have received this well-deserved recognition.”