UnityPoint Health-Grinnell celebrates breastfeeding

GRINNELL — UnityPoint Health-Grinnell Regional Medical Center hospital and clinics celebrated Breastfeeding Awareness Month in August.

Certified lactation consultants and certified lactation specialists are an integral part of the maternity journey, and GRMC’s mission to provide the care that new parents need, close to home.

Across UnityPoint Health-Grinnell, lactation specialists are ready to help parents in the days, weeks or months following delivery and will be there to guide and support as new families travel along their breastfeeding journey.

The team is prepared to help navigate and trouble-shoot all of the obstacles new parents face — getting a good latch, increasing supply, avoiding engorgement or helping to use a breast pump.

If parents are interested in breastfeeding, their journey begins before birth. GRMC recommends taking a prenatal education class which covers multiple valuable topics, including breastfeeding.

“The breastfeeding class provides a foundational knowledge that can help ease fears or concerns and answer questions that parents have prior to delivery,” says Kami Walters, obstetrics nurse. “Parents can use that knowledge to reach their breastfeeding goal and have more time to fall in love with feeding their baby.”

In the first few days after having a baby, GRMC’s OB team is ready to support parents who choose to breastfeed, both day and night.

With two certified lactation employees on staff, parents don’t need to schedule inpatient appointments to be seen during their postpartum recovery. Breastfeeding guidance is woven into the OB care at UnityPoint Health-Grinnell.

After patients go home, Poweshiek County Public Health offers postpartum newborn home visits where a nurse will visit patients at home to make sure parents and baby are doing well. At a typical visit, the nurse would discuss baby care, postpartum care, parenting concerns and services available.

“When I was a new mom, I didn’t have resources or assistance during my breastfeeding journey,” says Deb Fraker, Poweshiek County Public Health nurse. “I hope new parents know that we are only a phone call away and will always cheer them on.”

The postpartum newborn home visit is a free service available for families residing within the GRMC service area. Call 641-236-2385 to set up a free appointment or for referral support information.

Outpatient lactation appointments are also available in the UnityPoint Health-Grinnell OB-GYN Clinic or Family Practice Clinic.

Wherever patients are in their breastfeeding journey, the UnityPoint Health-Grinnell team is ready to offer support. Visit uph.link/GrinnellMaternity to learn more about the maternity journey and breastfeeding resources.