Newswise — May 20, 2013 - Neptune, NJ – Jersey Shore University Medical Center recently unveiled the Center for Breastfeeding, an outpatient center providing services and resources to promote and support the breastfeeding relationship between mother and baby. This new resource for mothers offers information, education, evaluation and management to help build new mothers’ confidence and knowledge about breastfeeding.
The Center for Breastfeeding is staffed by International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) under the direction of an expert physician who specializes in breastfeeding medicine and is designed to treat both mother and baby during visits. Consultation is by appointment only, and can be scheduled by calling the Breastfeeding Warmline at 732.776.3329.
The mother and baby-friendly facility provides outpatient lactation consultation services including: general assessment of mother and baby for breastfeeding management; evaluation of breast milk intake during feeding; feeding strategies to support successful breastfeeding; assistance with establishing good milk supply; assistance with breastfeeding premature babies and multiple births; managing sore nipples and other sources of breast discomfort during feeding; evaluation of low/slow weight gain in baby; preparation for return to work – pumping management, treatment of engorgement, plugged duct, thrush or mastitis; and re-establishing milk supply/breastfeeding after interruption. “It is common for mothers to experience problems with breastfeeding after they deliver a baby. Sometimes problems occur when a baby is just a few days old, and other times they occur months later. The Center for Breastfeeding is available to troubleshoot various lactation issues that mothers face from the first few days of breastfeeding to the last days of weaning a baby off the breast. We will also provide education for those looking to enhance their skills in breastfeeding medicine,” explains Rose St. Fleur, M.D., FAAP, pediatrician at K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital & Jersey Shore University Medical Center and member of the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine.
Jersey Shore University Medical Center recently received Baby-Friendly® designation, a global award from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) that recognizes hospitals offering an optimal level of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies.
The Baby-Friendly® Hospital Initiative fosters a culture of support for breastfeeding mothers in hospitals, as breastfeeding has proven short term and long term benefits for both mother and baby. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recognizes many benefits of breastfeeding, including a lowered risk of ear and respiratory infections, type 2 diabetes, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), and a reduction in childhood obesity. Medical costs are also lowered, as babies who are fed formula tend to require more doctor visits, hospitalizations and prescriptions. Breastfeeding also benefits the mother by providing increased protection against ovarian and breast cancers. A recent Yale University study showed that women who breastfed for two years or longer reduced their risk of breast cancer by 50%.
Research shows that mothers who are supported in their decision to breastfeed during their hospital stay and in the immediate postpartum period will be more successful at breastfeeding and will breastfeed for a longer duration than a mother who is not supported in her decision to breastfeed. The Center for Breastfeeding provides the expertise and support needed to build a mother’s confidence in her ability to breastfeed her baby, and provides the follow up necessary for success.
About Jersey Shore University Medical Center:Jersey Shore University Medical Center, a member of the Meridian Health family, is a not-for-profit teaching hospital and home to K. Hovnanian Children’s Hospital – the first children’s hospital in Monmouth and Ocean counties. Jersey Shore is the regional provider of cardiac surgery, a program which has been ranked among the best in the Northeast, and is home to the only trauma center and stroke rescue center in the region. Jersey Shore University Medical Center specializes in cardiovascular care, orthopedics and rehabilitation, cancer care, neuroscience, and women’s specialty services. For more information on Jersey Shore University Medical Center call 1-800-DOCTORS, or visit www.JerseyShoreUniversityMedicalCenter.com.
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