Breastfeeding is an excellent way to nourish and nurture your baby. Most women have the physical capacity to provide breast milk for their baby. Optimal benefits for mother and baby are attained if breastfeeding continues through the first year of life. Whatever your breastfeeding goal is, professionals are available to help you.

Choose the service that best fits your needs:

• Support and guidance for breastfeeding mothers with full-term and premature infants.
• Collaboration with international board-certified lactation consultants (IBCLC), certified lactation counselors (CLC) and other health care professionals to address breastfeeding difficulties.
• Telephone and in-person consultation and support after hospital discharge.
• Information on breast pump rentals and breastfeeding accessories.

Consider discussing these lactation or breastfeeding concerns with your nurses or providers:

• Feelings, concerns and expectations about breastfeeding your baby.
• Positioning and latching technique.
• Prevention and care of sore nipples.
• Engorgement.
• Milk production (too much or too little).
• Sucking difficulties.
• Family involvement (fathers, siblings and grandparents),
• Breastfeeding and baby's temperament.
• Slow weight gain.
• Jaundiced infants.
• Feeding twins and triplets.
• Managing breastfeeding when mother and baby are separated, such as for vacation, employment, school or hospitalization.
• Nutritional considerations during breastfeeding.
• Breastfeeding your baby with special medical problems.
• Pumping, storing and transporting milk.
• Teething.
• Baby's refusal to breastfeed.
• Introducing the bottle.
• Weaning.

Outpatient services

Call Mayo Clinic Health System for a telephone consultation or to schedule an outpatient appointment.

• Inpatient: 608-392-9789
• Outpatient ― located in the La Crosse Pediatric Clinic: 608-392-6299
• After 4 p.m. and weekends ― Family Birthplace: 608-392-9723