Breastfeeding your baby can be one of the most rewarding experiences. It can also be very stressful. Breastfeeding takes practice and patience. Babies don’t always follow our plans, which can create challenges with breastfeeding.
MercyOne Des Moines offers two breastfeeding classes through their Childbirth Education department.
Breastfeeding Essentials covers the benefits of breastfeeding, what to expect in the hospital, and positioning and latch. In the “part 2” class – Breastfeeding After Baby – mothers learn about introducing a bottle, pumping and returning to work, and challenges one might encounter with breastfeeding. MercyOne encourages all mothers and their support person(s) to attend these classes. Families can register for these classes online or by calling 515-358-5060.
Breastfeeding Support in the Hospital
After your baby is born, the nursing staff at MercyOne are well equipped to assist you with breastfeeding. Labor and delivery nurses and staff encourage skin-to-skin contact after birth. They are experts in handling the feeding and latching needs of moms and their newborns.
Mother/Baby nurses on the post-partum floor work closely with the lactation staff. They collaborate to individualize each mother and baby’s feeding plan and plan of care. The Mother/Baby nursing staff receive monthly breastfeeding education. All nursing staff involved in the care of babies born at MercyOne are required annually to meet requirements for the skills related to helping moms and babies achieve their feeding goals.
Breastfeeding Support at Home
For moms and babies who may need additional support, lactation consultants and staff are available seven days a week to assist with breastfeeding and/or pumping and to answer any questions or concerns mothers may have. Lactation support hours are generally 7 a.m.-11 p.m. Expanded hours allow consultants to meet with moms at times that work best for them and their baby. During visits, they love to hear about each family’s feeding goals so they can help them achieve success. Lactation staff can assist with many aspects of breastfeeding beyond showing a mother how to position and latch her baby at breast.
Personal Lactation Consultations
Sometimes breastfeeding or pumping isn’t going as planned when a mother is discharged from the hospital. MercyOne is proud to offer outpatient lactation consultations. During these outpatient consultations, mothers receive a 60-90 minute one-on-one visit with an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). This allows the IBCLC to spend uninterrupted time with breastfeeding and/or pumping moms and babies to help navigate challenges, observe a pumping/feeding session, and develop a feeding plan to help meet each family’s feeding goals.
Check with your insurance coverage as these visits are billed to insurance. No referral is necessary to meet with an IBCLC. Call 515-358-2082 to set up an appointment.
Joanna Cox, BSN, RN, IBCLC, is a certified lactation consultant at MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center. She has been back at MercyOne for three years. Mothers who have questions about breastfeeding can contact Joanna at 515-358-2082 to set up an appointment.
Connect with MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center
Website: MercyOne.org/desmoines
Twitter: @MercyOneDSM
Facebook: @mercyonedesmoines
Instagram: @mercyonedesmoines
Pinterest: @MercyOneDesMoines
The post is part of a series of sponsored posts by MercyOne Des Moines Medical Center
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