Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center offers an extensive support system for breastfeeding mothers. We have several Internationally Board Certified lactation consultants on staff, as well as certified lactation counselors.
All staff receives additional training so they may all be of assistance to our breastfeeding moms. In addition to individual assistance, our Center has many resources available to help achieve successful breastfeeding.
Outpatient lactation consults are available and if needed, call our Lactation Center at 337-289-7227 as we strongly support breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding mothers who must return to work will find a large selection of various pumps and supplies, including hospital-grade rental pumps, small manual pumps, single electric pumps and even double pumps. Your lactation counselor can help educate on what will work best.
Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center continues to maintain our GIFT certification from the Louisiana Maternal & Child Health Coalition that also encourages breastfeeding through education and support to improve health of mothers and infants. Based on the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding, this prestigious, international award recognizes birth facilities that offer breastfeeding mothers the information, confidence, and skills needed to successfully initiate and continue breastfeeding their babies.
Facilities are reviewed for their performance on specific practices for birthing persons and policies that are aligned with the evidence-based, internationally recognized Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding from the WHO/UNICEF Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative. Additionally, these facilities are assessed for their degree of participation in quality improvement activities and implementation of available patient education materials. Policy development, education of staff, patient education and provision of discharge resources for breastfeeding persons are key components of the program.
Launched in 2006, Louisiana’s The Gift program has designated 42 of 52 eligible birthing facilities. It is a hospital designation program that provides resources and a framework to help birthing facilities improve breastfeeding outcomes through incremental adoption of internationally recognized evidence-based practices, the Ten Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. The Gift program encourages continued progress toward pursuit of Baby-Friendly™ designation. All Louisiana birthing facilities are eligible to participate in The Gift. For more information, please visit www.thegiftla.org.
Ochsner Lafayette General is the first milk bank depot in southwest Louisiana, where approved donors can bring their frozen breast milk. All donated milk will be sent to the Mother’s Milk Bank at Austin, where it is processed and pasteurized. The breast milk will then be sent to hospitals across the country, who need milk for their fragile babies.
