Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding provides your baby with wonderful nutrients and antibodies that have immediate and long-lasting health benefits. In addition, it supports a close bond between mother and baby and is very convenient; it is always ready when your baby is hungry and never needs to be prepared or warmed! Breastfeeding benefits everyone because it is less expensive, uses fewer natural resources, and doesn’t contribute to waste.

Successful breastfeeding often begins with getting information that will help you make informed decisions. Educate yourself about positioning, latching, building a milk supply and ways to know if your baby is getting enough milk. These are the foundations of good breastfeeding, and learning about them will help you get breastfeeding off to a great start! You can read books, visit websites, and take a breastfeeding class. Yale New Haven Hospital offers a virtual breastfeeding class. Yale Health provides classes and support groups to new parents.

Once your baby is born, you will receive guidance and support at your bedside from the nurses and IBCLC lactation consultants at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH). YNHH has received the prestigious distinction as a Baby-Friendly Hospital. This recognition is awarded to birthing centers that provide exceptional care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.

The Yale Health Pediatric Department encourages breastfeeding in the first year of life. After discharge from the hospital, first-time parents will receive an appointment with an IBCLC lactation consultant upon their first visit to the office. Follow-up visits are scheduled as needed.

As wonderful and natural as breastfeeding a baby can be it is a learned skill that takes practice for both mother and baby. Challenges that a mom may face can be resolved with good decision-making, support and guidance, as well as patience and persistence. The first two weeks can be the most challenging but at Yale Health, we are here to help you achieve your breastfeeding goals.

Peer support has been proven to help moms feel more confident about breastfeeding. YNHH offers a post-discharge program, B.A.B.Y. (Breastfeeding Advances Baby’s First Year), that meets twice per week. They offer education and peer support. It’s a great way to meet other new moms, register and check it out!