Lactation Services at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center
Award Winning Breastfeeding Consultants
The staff at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center recognize the importance of breastfeeding for both mom and baby. Our award-winning Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and nurses support whatever the patient’s breastfeeding goal is. To do this, all nurses on the Women and Infant Services unit have been trained in breastfeeding care. IBCLC’s are on staff six days a week and dedicated to caring for breastfeeding moms and babies.
Our unit has consistently been an IBCLC Care Award winner for its support of lactation by not only hiring IBCLCs, but the lactation care these lactation consultants provide and breastfeeding projects that they support for the community.
Before Baby Comes
Education is the best way to prepare for a new baby. While it is not necessary, it is encouraged for expecting moms planning to breastfeed to take the Breastfeeding: Getting Started Class taught by our lactation consultants. This class is free to those delivering at Memorial Hospital. Our consultants also offer a Baby Behavior class that reviews how to identify normal infant behavior and how to cope with common stressors such as sleepless nights and crying for new parents.
Patients can register for these classes here or by calling 812-996-2399.
While in the Hospital
Our staff is dedicated to assisting mothers with breastfeeding. Patients will get the opportunity to see a lactation consultant as well. They will talk about the importance of frequent feeding, rooming in, and skin to skin with your baby. They will educate you, answer any of your questions, and address any concerns you may have about your baby or breastfeeding. Our consultants are trained to also help those infants and mothers that are more at risk for breastfeeding difficulties.
Once You Get Home
The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months followed by continued breastfeeding after the introduction of nutritious complementary foods as long as mutually desired for 2 years or beyond. Research shows that the longer the breastfeeding duration, the more benefits for both the mother and child.
Because our goal is to support your breastfeeding goals and duration, our lactation consultants are dedicated to not only assisting patients here in the hospital, but are also available for outpatient consults as well when you go home. If any problems should arise with breastfeeding, our consultants work closely with your physician to reach the best possible outcome for both mom and baby.
Monthly Check-In & Weigh-In Times
Memorial Hospital offers the opportunity for breastfeeding women to come in and speak to our certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) on a regular basis. While moms are always welcome to call our lactation consultants at any time for help, two free outpatient services, “Check-In Time” and Wednesday Weight Checks for Baby, are also available.
Check-In Time is a monthly breastfeeding support group, offered the first Wednesday evening of the month. Free weight checks are offered at this time as well as discussion regarding common topics such as crying, infant sleep, challenges and successes of breastfeeding, going back to work, starting solids at 6 months, pumping and milk supply. It is also a great opportunity for moms to meet other moms for that much needed mom-to-mom support.
Wednesday weight checks for baby are offered every Wednesday morning from 9-11am (except for the first Wednesday of the month when it is in the evening time during the support group). This is a free complimentary service for our moms at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center.
If you have any questions, please contact our lactation consultants in Women and Infant Services at 812-996-0383.
The Milk Depot
Memorial Hospital serves as a Milk Depot site for The Milk Bank in Indianapolis where approved donor mothers can drop off frozen, surplus breast milk 24/7. The milk is transported to The Milk Bank to be pasteurized and distributed to the most fragile infants in NICUs and outpatient families throughout the Midwest. If local breastfeeding mothers would like to become a milk donor and take advantage of the close drop off site, please contact the Milk Bank at (317) 536-1670 or visit https://www.themilkbank.org/donate-milk/.
