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Lactation

Lactation Services

Children’s Hospital supports the statement by the American Academy of Pediatrics that breastmilk is a natural and beneficial source of nutrition and provides the healthiest start for an infant.

Inpatient lactation counseling

  • International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) and certified lactation counselors (CLC) are available for inpatient stays.
  • Occupational therapist and speech language pathologists, who are versed in oral motor skills.

Outpatient lactation counseling

  • Dr. Ashley Farge is available to see nursing mothers for lactation consultations on an outpatient basis at Children's Hospital Pediatrics - I10 Service Rd.
  • To schedule an appointment, please call 504.988.6253.

Lactation spaces

  • Lactation rooms are available for employees and patient families
  • Hospital-grade Medela Symphony pumps are provided in each of the lactation rooms for your use. Pump kits for the Symphony pump are available for mothers who have children admitted to the hospital. If you need a connection kit for this pump to provide breastmilk for your hospitalized child, please let your nurse know.
  • The lactation spaces also welcome mothers to use their home pumps as well.
  • A hospital pump can also be brought to your inpatient room.

Donor Human Milk Program

Children’s Hospital cares for our most vulnerable and delicate infants. Donor human milk is available to medically eligible infants in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit and and the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.

For more information visit the Human Milk Bank of North America website.

Benefits of breastmilk

Research shows that breastmilk offers many health benefits for infants and mothers. Some benefits of breastmilk include:

  • Natural source of the nutrients your baby needs
  • Less risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
  • Enhances newborn brain development
  • Less risk your baby will be overweight
  • Less risk of diabetes for your baby and you
  • Less risk of ovarian and breast cancer for mother

Breastfeeding resources

Breastmilk storage

Human Milk Storage Guidelines for NICU and High Risk Infants

    • Human milk

    • Room temperature

    • Time in refrigerator

    • Time in freezer

    • Freshly expressed

    • Ideal: Refrigerate immediately

      Acceptable: Less than 4 hours if refrigeration not available

    • 2 days-4 days

    • Ideal: 4 weeks

      Optimal: 3 months

      Acceptable: Less than 12 months in a deep freezer

    • Previously frozen, thawed in refrigerator but not warmed
    • Less than 4 hours
    • Less than 24 hours
    • Do not refreeze
    • Previously frozen and brought to room temperature
    • For completion of current feed
    • 4 hours
    • Do not refreeze
    • Infant has started feeding
    • Completion of current feeding and then discard
    • Discard
    • Discard
    • Frozen donor milk
    • Completion of current feed, then discard
    • <24 hours
    • Do not refreeze

Source: Jones, Frances. Best Practice for Expressing, Storing and Handling Human Milk. 2011.

Human Milk Storage Guidelines for Term Infants

    • Location of Storage

    • Temperature

    • Maximum recommended storage duration

    • Room temperature

    • 60-85F

      16-29C

    • 4 hours optimal

    • Refrigerator

    • 39.2F

      4C

    • 4 days optimal

    • Freezer

    • 24.8F

      <4C

    • 6 months optimal

      12 months acceptable

Source: Eglash, A. et al. ABM Clinical Protocol #8: Human Milk Storage Information for Home Use for Full Term Infants, Revised 2017.

Meals

Meals are provided to breastfeeding mothers who have a hospitalized child.

Resources