Importance of Breastfeeding
Breastmilk is the optimum nutrition source for new babies. Minden Medical Center’s breastfeeding initiative is designed to help mothers who want to breastfeed through support and education. We have a number of tools in place to help our mothers. Rooming-in and skin-to-skin contact are both policies that we have in place that encourage successful breastfeeding.
Skin-to-Skin: Immediately after delivery, newborns are placed skin-to-skin with their mother. If the mother receives a C-Section delivery, the newborn is placed skin-to-skin with mother as soon as mother is stable after the C-Section. We strive to have baby skin-to-skin before mom ever leaves the operating room. This decreases stress of mother and baby. For our breastfeeding mothers, skin-to-skin facilitates bonding, early breastfeeding cue recognition, and greater early milk supply. For all infants it helps to regulate their temperature, breathing, heart rate and neurological development, in turn decreasing the amount of time they spend separated from their parents. The mothers will notice a decrease in pain immediately postpartum. The majority of their care can be given in the delivery room with little to no parental separation required.
Rooming In: Mother and infant should sleep in proximity to each other to facilitate breastfeeding (AAP, 2005). The Nursery at MMC follows a policy of Newborn Rooming In. This policy facilitates parental bonding and ensures adequate education of parents. All newborns are taken to the mother’s room and are required to Room In according to the scheduled times. We also encourage that newborns stay in the room with parents overnight if possible. We use a hands-on approach and prefer to assist you as well as your baby in your room for your comfort.
While we offer classes to mothers that want to breastfeed, we also help you learn proper techniques and how handle situations that might arise that provide obstacles for you while you are in the hospital. We will also provide you with support when you go home.
Call (318) 371-5660 for information about education classes or email [email protected].
Frequently asked questions about breastfeeding:
- Breastfeeding is not for me. Do I have to breastfeed my baby if I come to Minden Medical Center?
- While we do promote breastfeeding and encourage you attempt if only one time, we do recognize that breastfeeding is not for everyone and formula feeding is an appropriate choice for some families. We will be here to assist you with whatever feeding method you choose.
- Why the big push for breastfeeding these days? I heard people don’t really do that anymore.
- From a medical and emotional standpoint, the advantages to you and your baby are substantial. The infant receives protection from infection, fewer allergies and respiratory and digestive problems, there is also a decrease in incidences of childhood obesity, diabetes and very importantly a decrease in the risk of SIDS death. The mother ‘s risk of hemorrhage and breast cancer are significantly decreased in addition to the enhanced level of bonding experienced by mother and baby. The primary purpose of the Louisiana Breastfeeding Coalition (LBC) is to make breastfeeding the norm for all babies in Louisiana. MMC has taken the necessary steps to meet the guidelines set forth by the Maternal and Child Health Coalition’s Gift Program (Guided Infant Feeding Techniques). We were the first hospital in North Louisiana to receive this prestigious certification and continue to stay abreast of the latest innovative research.
Take me back to The Baby Place.