Breastfeeding your baby can be a joyful and rewarding experience. It can also come with challenges and concerns.
You may be asking questions like, “Am I doing this right?” or, “Should my baby be gaining more weight?” Rest assured that most mothers have the same questions.
WVU Medicine Children’s offers a lactation clinic for nursing mothers, staffed by a team of nurses and certified lactation consultants. We’re here to guide and support you as you breastfeed.
Breastfeeding Support
If you’re breastfeeding for the first time, you likely have a lot of questions. Our lactation consultants meet with you and listen to your concerns.
As an expectant or nursing mother, you may need answers about:
- Baby’s weight gain
- Benefits of breastfeeding
- Breast pumps and supplies
- How to prepare for breastfeeding
- How to tell if breastfeeding is going well
- Latching difficulties
- Low milk production
- Pain while breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Education Videos
Some of your breastfeeding questions can be answered by watching our educational videos.
Module 1 – Benefits and Contraindications of Breastfeeding: Breast milk is considered the healthiest food for babies. Here we talk about some of the benefits of breastfeeding and some rare circumstances where breastfeeding is not recommended.
Module 2 – Skin-to-Skin Contact with Your Baby: Everyone loves to hold their baby, but not everyone realizes how important skin-to-skin contact is – especially right after birth. For your newborn, early skin-to-skin contact means warmth, bonding, and an opportunity to feed right away.
Module 3 – Two Ways to Increase Your Milk Supply: To produce an adequate milk supply, breastfeed early and express your milk. Even a small first feeding gives your newborn a big boost. When the baby is not nursing, you can learn to express milk to store for later, relieve your breasts, or increase your supply.
Module 4 – Learn Your Baby’s Hunger Cues by Rooming In: Most babies know when they are hungry, but they can’t say so with words. The best way to observe, learn, and eventually anticipate your baby’s hunger cues is by spending time with them. That’s one reason why rooming together for your entire hospital stay is recommended.
Module 5 – Tips for Positioning and Latching: Breastfeeding should feel comfortable for you and your baby. Information about positioning, offering the breast, latching, and milk transfer can be valuable when trying to create a more pleasant experience.
Module 6 – Three Common Breastfeeding Challenges: Breastfeeding may be natural, but it does have a few common hurdles. Remembering to follow your baby’s cues, prioritizing self-care, and asking your resources for help will make your breastfeeding journey something to treasure.
How WVU Medicine Children’s Can Help
Bonding with your baby during breastfeeding is an experience you’ll cherish. Our goal is to help you have a successful, rewarding experience.
Our breastfeeding consultants offer many services for breastfeeding success including:
- Advice about when and how to wean your baby
- Education about the benefits of breastfeeding
- Labeling and storing recommendations for breast milk
- Milk fortification recommendations, if needed
- Nutritional recommendations for nursing or pumping mothers
- Resources on returning to work while pumping
- Techniques for breastfeeding positions
- Tips for determining if breastfeeding is going well
Breastfeeding Classes
WVU Medicine Children’s offers breastfeeding classes. These classes are led by certified lactation consultants. They give you a chance to ask questions and share experiences. The class covers the following topics:
- Breastfeeding positions
- Getting the best start
- How breastfeeding works
- Proper latch technique
- Returning to work
- Signs that breastfeeding is going well
- Weaning
- When to feed your baby
Find more information and reserve your spot in one of our breastfeeding classes.
Breastfeeding Benefits
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends feeding infants only breast milk for the first six months. They recommend breastfeeding along with solid foods for at least another six months. There are numerous benefits for both babies and mothers.
Benefits for babies:
- Breast milk provides nutrients that are easy for your baby to digest.
- Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of your child developing many illnesses.
- Breastfed babies have a reduced rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Benefits for breastfeeding mothers:
- Breastfeeding can help new mothers recover from childbirth more quickly.
- Mothers who breastfeed have a lower risk of certain medical conditions.
- Breastfeeding provides a strong bond with your child.