Breastfeeding is the most natural way to feed your baby, but natural doesn’t always mean easy. At The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, our care team of physicians, nurses and lactation consultants will guide you and your Buckeye Baby through any breastfeeding obstacles.

Benefits For Mom:

• Faster loss of pregnancy weight gain
• Decreased risk for breast, uterine and ovarian cancers
• Saves time and money

Benefits For Baby:

• Perfectly matched nutrition at each stage of infant development
• Breast milk is more easily digestible than formula
• Breast milk contains antibodies to help fight infections
• Decreases risk of asthma, ear infections, allergies, type 1 diabetes, obesity and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)

Have extra milk? Consider donating to mothers and babies in need through the Mothers' Milk Bank

Buckeye Babies who require a stay in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) may bring special challenges with them related to breastfeeding:

• Premature and hospitalized infants may not be physically ready to latch to the breast, may have weak suckling reflexes and tire easily.

• Most mothers of hospitalized infants will need to express their breast milk, which can then be provided to their baby via bottle or feeding tube.

• Our lactation team will teach you how to express your milk and help make arrangements for you to obtain a breast pump for use at home.

Regardless of when your baby is ready, our team of experts will help you and your baby breastfeed. Call 614-293-8910 for questions and concerns.

The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center has been recognized by the Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies program, the Ohio Hospital Association and Ohio Department of Health for its efforts to promote, protect and support breastfeeding, receiving the “Maternity Care Best Practice Award” for 2017.

This recognition indicates Ohio State’s commitment to best practices, choosing to not distribute infant formula or formula company-sponsored sample packs to patients. In addition, Ohio State Wexner Medical Center also provides information and implements hospital practices supportive of breastfeeding and the Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies program.

For more information about Ohio First Steps for Healthy Babies, please visit www.ohiohospitals.org/ohiofirststeps.