Lactation Services & Breastfeeding

According to the World Health Organization, breast milk makes the ideal food for the healthy growth and development of infants. As an integral part of the reproductive process, breastfeeding also offers important benefits for the health of mothers. Studies show that breastfeeding decreases the risk of many diseases in both mothers and babies. In addition, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommends efforts to promote breastfeeding.

The Lactation Center at OU Health

To help you learn and practice the best approach to breastfeed your newborn, take advantage of Oklahoma’s most comprehensive breastfeeding program at OU Health’s Lactation Center. You’ll work with an experienced team of International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), widely respected throughout Oklahoma and the nation for outstanding clinical care, advanced education, and participation in the latest research and advocacy.

OU Health’s IBCLCs also provide expert training for Oklahoma’s physicians, pediatric resident physicians, nurses and other healthcare professionals who want to expand their knowledge of breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding Services at OU Health

Through the Lactation Center at OU Health, you can take advantage of the full spectrum of services related to breastfeeding, such as:

• Inpatient care seven days a week
• Telephone help 24/7 through the Breastfeeding Hotline at (877) 271-MILK (6455); staffed by IBCLCs from OU Health’s Lactation Team
• Outpatient lactation program through OU Physicians
• Access to the Oklahoma Breastfeeding Resource Center, where you’ll find the most up-to-date lactation information for nursing mothers and families, healthcare providers, and organizations working to improve care
• Oklahoma Mothers’ Milk Bank, an official milk bank depot providing safe, pasteurized milk donated by healthy, screened, breastfeeding mothers to help preterm babies and ill mothers who cannot make enough milk

Breastfeeding Hotline – Support for Oklahoma Families

As a nursing mother, partner, family member, prospective parent or health professional, you can get the breastfeeding information and support you need from IBCLCs through the Lactation Center’s Breastfeeding Hotline.

This free service, provided by the Oklahoma State Health Department’s Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, Maternal Child Health (MCH) Services and OU Health, puts you in touch with a lactation consultant to help you deal with temporary breastfeeding challenges, even after you and your baby return home.

Consultants also assist you if you’re ill or your baby is sick and readmitted to the hospital, or if your new baby arrived prematurely and you’re expressing milk as you wait for the special day when you can help your baby learn to breastfeed.

The Breastfeeding Hotline also can help you with a referral to an outpatient lactation service in Oklahoma, breast pump rental locations or a La Leche League breastfeeding support group.

For medical questions or diagnosis, contact your doctor or a primary care physician.

Common Breastfeeding Challenges

Typical breastfeeding issues that might lead you to seek help from OU Health's lactation consultants include:

• Not making enough milk
• Baby refusing to nurse
• Breast or nipple pain
• Medications and breastfeeding
• Workplace concerns and breastfeeding
• Breast pumps and rentals
• Breastfeeding in public
• Weaning

Your highly trained OU Health breastfeeding consultants collaborate with the physicians and nurses on your pregnancy and childbirth care team to ensure you and your family receive the most up-to-date lactation information and breastfeeding assistance.

Breastfeeding Resources on the Web

In addition to services and information from OU Health's IBCLCs at the Lactation Center in Oklahoma City, you and your family can explore breastfeeding information available online through:

• Coalition of Oklahoma Breastfeeding Advocates, a statewide advocacy group
• La Leche League USA, an international support group for parents who are breastfeeding and their families
• Oklahoma State Department of Health
• Getting Started with Breastfeeding video series from Stanford University Medicine

Benefits of Breastfeeding
Watch a short breastfeeding video [8:53 min] to learn more about ways you and your baby benefit from this natural process.