BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT AT THE MINNESOTA BIRTH CENTER
Preparing for Breastfeeding
Virtual Breastfeeding: Well Informed and Well Supported
You’ve spent so much time preparing for the birth of your baby. Now is the time to prepare for the postpartum time as well! Minnesota Birth Center’s breastfeeding class gives expectant parents all the tools and resources they need to get off to a great start breastfeeding—well informed and well supported. The course will cover the basics of breastfeeding—including how to identify a good latch, the most comfortable and effective ways to feed your baby, how to know your baby is “getting enough,” and practical strategies to work through the most common breastfeeding challenges. Learn more / register
Postpartum Breastfeeding Support
Lactation Visits
Supporting breastfeeding is an essential component of postpartum care at the Minnesota Birth Center. MBC has several lactation specialists on staff to assist parents in addressing a wide variety of breastfeeding challenges:
- Positioning and latch difficulties
- Sore nipples
- Plugged ducts and mastitis
- Thrush
- Tongue and/or lip tie
- Supply concerns
- Pre-term babies
- Breastfeeding after reduction
- Feeding multiples
- Bottle feeding
- Return to work and pumping
Our lactation specialists support parents in their feeding choices and will work to balance the needs of your baby with your desires. Lactation Visits at MBC last about an hour and are scheduled at both of our Minneapolis and St. Paul sites throughout the week. Most of these visits are also available as virtual visits during COVID, if desired. Check with your insurance company regarding coverage for this visit type. For more information or to schedule a visit call MBC-Minneapolis (612-545-5311, ext. 1) or MBC-St. Paul (651-689-3988, ext. 1).
Well Fed Postpartum Group
Minnesota Birth Center also hosts Well Fed postpartum group every Monday at MBC-St. Paul. This event os paused during COVID. Stay tuned for announcements regarding its return!
Educational Resources on Breastfeeding and Lactation
Babies & Newborns Handouts
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Baby’s Second Day
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Your Newborn is Crying, Now What?
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Calming a Colicky Baby
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Babywearing
Bottle Feeding Handouts
- How to Bottlefeed a Breastfed Baby
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Helping a Breastfed Baby Accept a Bottle
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Paced Bottle Feeding
Breast Compression Handouts
Candida Handouts
- Homemade All Purpose Nipple Ointment
- IBC Online: Candida Protocol
- IBC Online: Gentian Violet
- LLL Online: Is Thrush Causing My Sore Nipples?
Engorgement Handouts
Going Back to Work Handouts
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: The Employed Breastfeeding Mother
- Legal Protections for Nursing Mothers in Minnesota
Hand Expression Handouts
Inverted Nipples Handouts
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Do I Have Flat or Inverted Nipples?
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Using a Nipple Shield
Low Supply Handouts
- Insufficient Glandular Tissue / Hypoplasia
- LLL Online: Breastfeeding with Hypoplasia
- LLL Online: Hypoplasia / Insufficient Glandular Tissue
- IBC Online: Is My Baby Getting Enough Milk?
- Herbal Remedies for Milk Supply
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Increasing Your Breastmilk Supply
- Power Pumping to Increase Milk Supply
- Use of Reglan to Increase Milk Supply
Oversupply Handouts
Plugged Ducts & Mastitis Handouts
- IBC Online: Blocked Ducts and Mastitis
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Plugged Ducts and Mastitis
Positioning & Latch Handouts
- Care Plan: Baby Who Won’t Latch On
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Essentials of Positioning and Latch-On
- Getting Started with Breastfeeding
- IBC Online: Latching and Feeding Management
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Baby-led Latching
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Mother-led Latching
- Tongue Exercises
Pumping Handouts
- Medela: Choosing Your Breastshield Size
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Hands-On Pumping
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: Storage and Handling of Breastmilk
- CDC: Storage and Preparation of Breast Milk
Sore Nipples Handouts
- Homemade All Purpose Nipple Ointment
- Care Plan: Sore Nipple Management
- IBC Online: All-Purpose Nipple Ointment
- IBC Online: Vasospasm
- IBC Online: Sore Nipples
Supplementation Handouts
- Care Plan: Baby Needs Supplementation
- How Much to Give Each Time Your Baby Does Not Breastfeed
- IBC Online: Lactation Aid
- IBC Online: Finger and Cup Feeding
Tongue Tie Handouts
Other Handouts
- Soothing Your Breastfed Baby with Reflux
- LLL Online: Breastfeeding Strike
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: “Funny” Breastmilk
- Information for Breastfeeding Families: “I Wish Someone Had Told Me…”
- IBC Online: Breastfeeding the Premature Baby
- Information for Breastfeeding Mothers: Surgery and the Breastfeeding Mother
Additional Breastfeeding Resources:
- La Leche League Minnesota
- Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition
- Hand Expression of Breastmilk – Stanford Medicine
- Eats on Feets – MN Chapter – Community-Based Breast Milk Sharing
- Breast Milk for Babies – Minnesota Milk Bank Initiative
- Mother’s Milk Bank of Iowa
Books on Breastfeeding:
- The Breastfeeding Book (Martha Sears and William Sears)
- Breastfeeding Made Simple: Seven Natural Laws for Nursing Mothers (Nancy Mohrbacher and Kathleen Kendall-Tackett)
- Breastfeeding Your Baby (Sheila Kitzinger)
- Ina May’s Guide to Breastfeeding (Ina May Gaskin)
- The Nursing Mother’s Companion (Kathleen Huggins)
- The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (La Leche League International)