Teaching and Maintaining Lactation

When you have your baby at Milford Regional Medical Center, you will have access to caring staff members who will assist and show you how to breastfeed your baby. It starts right after delivery, when your baby will be placed skin-to-skin with you. This is the first important step in helping your baby take advantage of the” golden hour.” Babies are often very alert the first hour after delivery and eager to breastfeed. Following your baby’s cues, your nurse will assist you in positioning your baby at the breast. When the baby is well-positioned and latched at the breast there should not be any pain or discomfort.  As you get to know your baby and their feeding cues, you will be encouraged to feed the baby frequently, continue skin to skin and room in. Frequent feedings and rooming in will help your milk come in sooner. If further assistance is needed, Milford Regional has Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) to help.

During your stay at Milford Regional you will learn:

Why it is important to exclusively breastfeed: The World Health Organization, UNICEF and the Academy of Pediatrics all agree that you and your baby get the most benefits if you breastfeed exclusively for the first six months. After that, solids are introduced, but it is recommended that you continue to breastfeed up until the first year and beyond as mutually desired.

How to maintain lactation: We practice rooming in at Milford Regional, but if you should need to be separated from your baby we will assist you in the important steps needed to protect your milk supply for when your baby is ready to feed and you are reunited with your baby.

How to be sure your baby is getting enough to eat: You will learn how to tell if your baby is swallowing and the amount of feedings, wets and stools that are expected those first few days. Each baby is weighed daily which can also give us information as to how well they are eating.

How to express, handle and store breastmilk: Breastmilk can be expressed manually or with an electric pump. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. All of your questions will be answered by the nurses and lactation staff during your stay.

How we continue to support you once you leave: Board Certified Lactation Consultants are available to you through a phone call consultation, one to one outpatient visits, and weekly mother support groups.

Mothers who give birth at hospitals that have support for breastfeeding are more likely to initiate exclusive breastfeeding and more likely to sustain breastfeeding at 6 months and at 1 year. Milford Regional Medical Center continues to strengthen its commitment to providing mothers and babies with the support need to reach their breastfeeding goals– an essential foundation for a healthy community.