Breastfeeding Support at Montefiore Einstein
We encourage you to breastfeed your baby — and will support you every step of the way! Breast milk provides the ideal nutrition for your baby’s growing body and brain. Breastfeeding can improve your health as well, reducing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, breast cancer and ovarian cancer. Although breastfeeding is natural, it may take a little time and patience to get the hang of it.
Educating yourself before your baby arrives will help you understand how to latch your baby and establish a good milk supply. Nursing your baby early and often, and only supplementing with formula when medically needed, is the best way to make sure your baby gets enough milk at the breast.
How to Get Help With Breastfeeding Now
- Call the NYC Breastfeeding Warmline: 646-965-7212 (Monday to Friday 9:00 am - 5:00 pm)
- Attend a breastfeeding class or support group.
- Sign up for weekly Breastfeeding education texts from Mobile Milk. Text "MILK" to 55676.
- Contact your local WIC office or call the Growing Up Healthy Hotline 800-522-5006 and ask for the nearest location to you.
- Ask your provider for a referral to the Bronx Healthy Start Program at Montefiore Einstein or email: Bxhealthystart@einsteinmed.edu.
- Search for a Private Lactation Consultant at www.ilca.org.
How to Prepare for Your Breastfeeding Journey
The best place to start is to read our Breastfeeding Basics guide. It will help you learn how to get breastfeeding off to a good start and ensure a good milk supply.
Attend a prenatal breastfeeding class. You will want to do this by the middle of your third trimester (around 30 weeks). Check our breastfeeding class schedule to find the best date and time that works for you.
Read or watch resources online to learn more. Two good places to start are the Droplet website for information about breastfeeding in the first five days and Ready, Set, Baby for the basics of breastfeeding.
Helpful Resources
Free Apps
There are also free apps you can use to learn how to latch baby and address common concerns, including:
Breast Beginnings (education and support)
Birth & Beyond (education)
Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative
Montefiore Einstein is proud to be accredited by the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI). Once your baby is born, our lactation specialists and nurses will provide in-hospital support to help breastfeeding get off to a good start.
Common Questions
Here are some of the most common breastfeeding concerns, and answers or links for more information.
Breastfeeding in the NICU
Breast milk is especially important for infants who are born prematurely or who are admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit for medical issues. Breastfeeding or pumping milk for your baby helps protect them from serious infections and other medical complications.
Caring for a premature or ill baby is stressful. Holding your baby skin‑to‑skin and expressing milk for your baby are ways that you can help keep them safe and healthy. It may take some time for your milk production to increase if you have given birth prematurely. Our NICU nurses and lactation specialists will help you get milk production off to a good start.
Helpful Resources
Additional Resources
Other health organizations and educators offer excellent information on breastfeeding — we’ve referenced many above. Here are sites, apps and videos that can help you learn more.
Apps
Breast Beginnings (education and support)
Birth & Beyond (education)