Breastfeeding Support

Breastfeeding gives your baby a healthy start and helps create a special bond between mother and baby. At Trinity Health Of New England, we encourage, teach and support mothers who want to breastfeed.

Breastfeeding Support

Even though breastfeeding is natural, it does not always come easily. We are here for new mothers with support:

Before you deliver: Expectant women can have a breastfeeding consultation before birth, so they have the information and tools they need for a successful start.
During your hospital stay: Lactation consultants and nurses who are certified lactation consultants support mothers and babies as they figure out breastfeeding and baby care.
After you and your baby go home: Support continues after you return home, with phone consultations and support groups.

How We Encourage Breastfeeding

Your breastfeeding journey starts with health care providers who have the experience to help you figure out what works best for you and your baby. We support:

Skin-to-skin: We give babies skin-to-skin contact with their mothers immediately after birth whenever possible.
Rooming-in: Babies staying in the room with their mothers encourages bonding and breastfeeding.
Immediate breastfeeding: We help you start breastfeeding right after birth, often in the delivery room or recovery room.

Benefits of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding comes with many benefits for the mother and baby. Breastfeeding protects babies against diseases, including:

Diarrhea
Respiratory tract infections
Ear infections
Urinary tract infections
Diabetes
Childhood obesity

Breastfeeding can also help mothers lose weight more quickly and decrease the risks of postpartum bleeding and breast or ovarian cancer.

Problems With Breastfeeding?

Our lactation consultants can help you with breastfeeding problems at any stage. We can help you tackle issues such as:

Problems with latching
Pain when breastfeeding
Clogged or plugged ducts
Mastitis
Low or high milk supply
Thrush

Feeding Your Baby in the NICU

The lactation consultants in our neonatal intensive care units (NICUs)* encourage breastfeeding for mothers of premature babies and babies with special medical needs.

However, many premature infants are not able to breastfeed right away. We help mothers find a breast pump and learn how to build up their milk supply by pumping.

A Commitment to Breastfeeding

We are committed to increasing breastfeeding rates in the communities we serve. Through a grant-funded program, we identify women within our communities who breastfed their babies for at least six months. We provide them with special training to become Peer Mentors for breastfeeding support.

The grant enables us to hire the Peer Mentors so they can offer support and encouragement to other new mothers in the community, including visiting them in the hospital and at home.

*available at Saint Francis Hospital and Saint Mary's Hospital