St. Joseph's Healthcare System

Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding Support

St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center has trained staff who specialize in lactation support.  We provide you with this service to ensure that you and your baby get off to the best possible start!

If you have questions about lactation please contact our consultants:

Lactation (Breastfeeding) Consultants,  Audra Burton-Easterbrook, RN, LCCE, IBCLC:  973.754.3361

Judy Petrazzuolo, RN, IBCLC: 973.754.3346

Amela Osmanovski, RN, IBCLC, Certified Lactation Consultant: 973.754.3361

St. Joseph’s Breastfeeding Hotline:  973.754.3393

Breastfeeding and Benefits

The Beauty of Breastfeeding Your Baby

Breastfeeding can be a wonderful experience for both you and your baby.  There are numerous reasons why mothers choose to breastfeed.

We at St. Joseph’s Regional Medical Center are here to support you in any way we can. Listed below are some reasons why you may choose to breastfeed.

Benefits to Baby

• Nutritionally, there is no better food for your baby than your milk.  It is most easily digested and provides your baby with all the nutrients he or she needs.
• Immune factors in your breast milk may protect your baby from certain diseases and Infections, such as asthma, childhood cancers, inflammatory bowel disease, and celiac disease.
• Babies who are breastfed may have a decreased risk of SIDS, obesity, allergies, and ear infections.
• Breastfeeding strengthens the muscles of the jaw for speech development.
• Breastfeeding enhances brain and dental development.
• Breastfeeding provides a positive bonding experience for baby, with skin to skin contact and closeness to mom.

Benefits to Mom

• Breastfeeding helps control mom’s bleeding after delivery of the baby.  It also helps shrink her uterus back to it’s pre-pregnancy size.
• Breastfeeding decreases mom’s risk of certain diseases such as osteoporosis, ovarian and breast cancer.  The longer you breastfeed, the more you decrease your risk.
• Breastfeeding provides a positive bonding experience for mom knowing she is meeting her baby’s emotional and physical needs.
• Cost and Convenience. Breast milk is free, saving families thousands of dollars a year. It is always ready at the right temperature and the right amount.

Benefits to Society

• Healthier children with fewer medical conditions decrease medical costs for families and society.
• Healthier children mean less work loss for parents and their employers.
• Breastfeeding means less plastic use and waste. When breastfeeding, there is less pollution from shipping formula.
• There may be additional reasons a mother will choose to breastfeed her baby.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding should continue until the child is at least one, with the addition of complementary foods after six months.

Additional Resources

Additional Resources

Medela Breastpump Rental (Hospital Grade Pump-"Symphony" used in the hospital): http://www.medelabreastfeedingus.com/bnn

Ameda Breast pump Rental (Hospital Grade Pump-not used at St.Joseph's Regional Medical Center): http://www.ameda.com/where/

Academy of Pediatrics: Breastfeeding Information:  http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/breastfeeding.cfm

La Leche League:  1.800.LALECHE (1.800.525.3243)

International Lactation Consultants Association:  1.919.861.5577  http://www.ilca.org

WIC Breastfeeding Hotline:  973.754.4582

Medela:  1.800.TellYou  (1.880.835.5968)

Ameda:  1.866.99Ameda  (1.866.992.6332)

Click here to download The Beauty of Breastfeeding brochure.

Click here to download a 28-page Breastfeeding Guide.

Works Cited

American Academy of Pediatrics Breastfeeding and the Use of Human Milk. (2005, February 1). Retrieved April 9, 2008, from American Academy of Pediatrics: http://www.aap.org/healthtopics/breastfeeding.cfm

Coalition, M. B. (2003). Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition. Retrieved March 13, 2008, from Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition: http://www.massbfc.org

Mannel, R., Martens, P. J., & Walker, M. (2007). Core Curriculum for Lactation Consultant Practice, 2nd Edition. In R. Mannel, P. J. Martens, & M. Walker, Core Curriculum for Lactation Consultant Practice, 2nd Edition. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Mary L.Overfield, C. A. (2006, April). Clinical Guidelines for the Establishment of Exclusive Breastfeeding. Retrieved April 9, 2008, from ILCA: www.ilca.org

Audra Burton-Easterbrook 2008