Baby-Friendly USA, the accrediting body and national authority for the U.S. Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative, has re-designated Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi as a “Baby-Friendly hospital.”

This designation “demonstrates Baptist North Mississippi is adhering to the highest standards of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.”

“Baptist North Mississippi is proud to serve as a Baby-Friendly Hospital,” said Brian Welton, CEO and administrator of Baptist North Mississippi. “We are committed to providing the support, education and resources moms need to successfully initiate breastfeeding and continue breastfeeding when they leave our care.”

Baptist North Mississippi received its initial Baby-Friendly designation in 2018. Redesignation is a two-year process and is ultimately conferred through an onsite assessment. Redesignation “classes” are defined by the year the designation expires.

“The Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding,” a set of evidence-based practices recommended by the World Health Organization and the United Nations Children’s Fund for optimal infant feeding support in the first days of a newborn’s life. It serves as standards for initial designation.

Baptist North Mississippi is among more than 20,000 baby-friendly hospitals and birth centers throughout the world, with 500 located in the United States. These facilities “provide an environment that supports breastfeeding while respecting every woman’s right to make the best decision for herself and her family.”

As the accrediting body and national authority for the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative in the United States, Baby-Friendly USA is responsible for upholding the highest standards in infant feeding care by coordinating and conducting all activities necessary to confer the prestigious Baby-Friendly designation and ensure the widespread adoption of the BFHI in the U.S.

Learn more about Baby-Friendly USA and the BFHI at www.babyfriendlyusa.org.

By Les Ferguson
Columnist

If I’ve done the math right, it was 1983. We were oh-so-young, and so was the World Catfish Festival in Belzoni. The annual event was only six years old, and Belzoni was a tiny delta town. Current statistics show that the city has a population under 2,000. If it was more significant in 1983, it wasn’t by much. 

As I said, my now wife and I were very young and with her parents. I only remember a few specifics of what the festival had to offer. Of course, an event celebrating Mississippi’s catfish industry and Belzoni’s epicenter meant plenty of catfish to eat, cooked multiple ways with all the sides and fixings. 

I explicitly remember eating hushpuppies, fried onion rings, and coleslaw. I was not tempted to eat chitlins that day — I’d already tried them before, and once was enough. Despite my young age and much higher metabolism, I suspect I’m still carrying a pound or three from that day. 

But the best memories of that long ago time were holding hands with my best girl as we wandered through the booths and displays of the event. I can still see her in the bright sunlight, the smile on her face, the twinkle in her eyes, and the highlights in her hair. 

This past weekend, Oxford hosted its annual Double Decker Festival around the town square. Before the event, it was estimated that some 75,000 would attend — quite a difference from Belzoni in 1983.

Like many others, my still-best girl and I shuffled from booth to booth. Shuffled is a perfect description — it was so crowded that one could hardly walk. As we did that long ago day, we held hands the best we could amidst the crowd’s crush. I ate catfish and hushpuppies again. My girl bought some art.

It was a good day. It was a day of memories. It was a day of making new memories. And in a funny way, the memories of that long ago day and those created this past Saturday all run together. They tell the story of a life blessed by the presence of another. 

I pray you will know, experience, and revel in good, strong, and beautiful relationships — and eat the Mississippi catfish, too!

As King Solomon says, “Two are better than one because they have a good reward for their efforts. For if either falls, his companion can lift him up; but pity the one who falls without another to lift him up.”

(Ecclesiastes‬ 4‬:9‬-10‬ CSB‬‬)

LONG BEACH, Calif. – There were no tickets sold with all six numbers in Tuesday’s (April 30) drawing of the multi-state Mega Millions lottery, pushing the estimated jackpot for Friday’s drawing to $284 million.

There were three tickets sold with five numbers, but missing the Mega number sold in California, Mississippi, and North Carolina, lottery officials announced.

The tickets sold in Mississippi and New York are worth $1 million each.

The ticket sold in California is worth $392,160 and was sold at Eddie’s Jr. Market in the 2400 block of 4th Street in Long Beach.

The numbers drawn Tuesday were 10, 18, 27, 37, 61 and the Mega number was 5.

The Mega Millions game is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands.

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