The staff at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center recognize the importance
of breastfeeding for both mom and baby. Our award-winning Board Certified
Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and nurses support whatever the patient’s
breastfeeding goal is. To do this, all nurses on the Women and Infant
Services unit have been trained in breastfeeding care. IBCLC’s are
on staff six days a week and dedicated to caring for breastfeeding moms
and babies.
Our unit has consistently been an IBCLC Care Award winner for its support
of lactation by not only hiring IBCLCs, but the lactation care these lactation
consultants provide and breastfeeding projects that they support for the
community.
Our Lactation Team
Jill Schnieders, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Niki Peter, RNC, BSN, IBCLC
Stacey Fischer, RD, IBCLC
Before Baby Comes
Education is the best way to prepare for a new baby. While it is not necessary,
it is encouraged for expecting moms planning to breastfeed to take the
Breastfeeding: Getting Started Class taught by our lactation consultants. This class is free to those delivering
at Memorial Hospital. Our consultants also offer a
Baby Behavior Class that reviews how to identify normal infant behavior and how to cope with
common stressors such as sleepless nights and crying for new parents.
Patients can register for these classes
here or by calling
812.996.2399.
While in the Hospital
Our staff is dedicated to assisting mothers with breastfeeding. Patients
will get the opportunity to see a lactation consultant as well. They will
talk about the importance of frequent feeding, rooming in, and skin to
skin with your baby. They will educate you, answer any of your questions,
and address any concerns you may have about your baby or breastfeeding.
Our consultants are trained to also help those infants and mothers that
are more at risk for breastfeeding difficulties.
Once You Get Home
The American Academy of Pediatrics now recommends exclusive breastfeeding
for 6 months followed by continued breastfeeding after the introduction
of nutritious complementary foods as long as mutually desired for 2 years
or beyond. Research shows that the longer the breastfeeding duration,
the more benefits for both the mother and child.
Because our goal is to support your breastfeeding goals and duration, our
lactation consultants are dedicated to not only assisting patients here
in the hospital, but are also available for outpatient consults as well
when you go home. If any problems should arise with breastfeeding, our
consultants work closely with your physician to reach the best possible
outcome for both mom and baby.
Monthly Check-In & Weigh-In Times
Memorial Hospital offers the opportunity for breastfeeding women to come
in and speak to our certified lactation consultants (IBCLCs) on a regular
basis. While moms are always welcome to call our lactation consultants
at any time for help, two free outpatient services,
“Check-In Time” and
Wednesday Weight Checks for Baby, are also available.
Check-In Time is a monthly breastfeeding support group, offered the first
Wednesday evening of the month. Free weight checks are offered at this
time as well as discussion regarding common topics such as crying, infant
sleep, challenges and successes of breastfeeding, going back to work,
starting solids at 6 months, pumping and milk supply. It is also a great
opportunity for moms to meet other moms for that much needed mom-to-mom support.
Wednesday weight checks for baby are offered every Wednesday morning from
9-11am (except for the first Wednesday of the month when it is in the
evening time during the support group). This is a free complimentary service
for our moms at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center.
If you have any questions, please contact our lactation consultants in
Women and Infant Services at
812.996.0383.
The Milk Depot
Memorial Hospital serves as a Milk Depot site for The Milk Bank in Indianapolis
where approved donor mothers can drop off frozen, surplus breast milk
24/7. The milk is transported to The Milk Bank to be pasteurized and distributed
to the most fragile infants in NICUs and outpatient families throughout
the Midwest. If local breastfeeding mothers would like to become a milk
donor and take advantage of the close drop off site, please contact the
Milk Bank at
317.536.1670 or visit
https://www.themilkbank.org/donate-milk/.
Milk Express
Memorial Hospital's Women and Infant Services Unit is also a Milk Express
site. Milk Express sites are convenient, community-based locations where
families can pick up pasteurized, donor, human milk (PDHM) ordered from
The Milk Bank. Milk Express can help bridge a small gap and offer parents
a sense of relief. A processing fee helps offset the layers of safety
involved in providing a safe, medical intervention for the most fragile
patients. For babies who have a medical need, The Milk Bank's Medical
Relief Fund is available to help with the fee. Families interested in
receiving pasteurized, donor, human milk can start the intake process at
https://www.themilkbank.org/request-milk-families/. For more information, please call The Milk Bank at
317.536.1670.
