Union Health's Labor and Delivery Department prides itself on offering families the most up-to-date information and services as they welcome their new bundles of joy into the world.
With August being National Breastfeeding Month, Casey Hummel, RN, says roughly 85% of moms that deliver at Union Hospital choose to breastfeed their babies.
"Our job at Union is to make sure they meet those goals even after they go home and we have a lot of support services for that," Hummel said.
Hummel says one of the biggest fears she sees associated with breastfeeding is pain.
"Pain is 99.9% correctable with the help from lactation consultants, positioning, and so on that we can help mothers with either inside the hospital or out," Hummel said.
Hummel says another concern is whether or not the baby is getting enough to eat.
"One thing that is underused is our weighted feeds," Hummel said. "We can weigh the baby, have mom breastfeed, weigh the baby again; that tells us exactly how much baby is taking in. It can be really reassuring for moms."
The American Academy of Pediatrics and World Health Organization recommends mothers breastfeeding for the first six to 12 months and then adding in complementary foods after that.
An International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant teaches free breastfeeding classes at Union Health.
"They are there for emotional support for the moms and to provide her with tips and tricks in order to have a successful breastfeeding journey," Crystal Keith, RN, said. " They are available to assist before, during, and after delivery and also offer continued support after being discharged."
To learn more about Breastfeeding Classes, go to
myunionhealth.org and click on Maternity Services.