Whether it's your first baby or your fifth, moms of newborns often have questions about nursing, pumping, bottle feeding, formula feeding or combination feeding. I nursed my twins and older son for over a year each, and like many moms, I had my share of ups, downs, and daily struggles. I felt successful by seeking the help of area and online support groups and the help of an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). The Woodlands is full of support for nursing moms and I've outlined some of our area resources below.
Bayou City Breastfeeding offers in-home lactation support services with IBCLCs in the Woodlands area. According to BCB, they are also the only Lactation Consultants in the area who are able to accept insurance (they accept many plans from Aetna, BCBS, Cigna and UnitedHealthCare.)
Memorial Hermann The Woodlands has an Outpatient Lactation Center and Retail Shop open Monday to Saturday 9am-5pm. They offer two support meetings for moms of babies under 1 year old, held in the Lactation Center resource room behind the retail shop. Adventures in Breastfeeding is a weekly nursing support meeting facilitated by a Lactation Consultant for moms of babies ages 0-3 months and is held Wednesdays from 10-11:30am. All About Moms is a general mommy support group facilitated by an RN for babies 0-12 months on Mondays from 10-11:30am. You do not need to have delivered at Memorial to attend these free meetings. MHTW also offers breastfeeding classes for expectant moms for a fee.CHI St. Luke's Health - The Woodlands Hospital offers a Breastfeeding Support Group on Wednesdays from 10am-12pm at the Lakeview A Conference Room (first floor near cafeteria). They also offer free breastfeeding classes for expectant moms who are delivering at their facility ($30 per couple otherwise). Have a question for the LC? Call 936-266-2081 or visit them online.
Texas Children's Hospital The Woodlands offers lactation support by appointment on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 1-3pm. The Lactation Department can be reached at 936-267-5050. Breast pump rentals are also available at the 2nd floor gift shop.
Houston Methodist Childbirth Center at The Woodlands offers breastfeeding classes that are open to the public and they have breastfeeding supplies and pump rentals through the gift shop on the 1st floor. For class registration, please call 936-270-3333 or register online.
The Woodlands La Leche League has an online group for support and encouragement for nursing mothers in conjunction with the face to face meetings. LLL runs their support meetings two times a month: the second Friday of the month at 10:00 am at the Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Lactation Center resource room behind the baby gift shop (9250 Pinecroft Dr.) AND also the third Thursday of the month at 7:00 pm at the Texas Children's Health Center Waiting Room at St. Luke (17198 St. Luke's Way #300).
Baby Mama TX offers a free breastfeeding support group Tuesday mornings from 9-11am at Rebel Birth Education and Resource Haven in Old Town Spring. They also offer lactation consultant services.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES:
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Outpatient or in-home consults with a lactation consultant are a great way to learn new positions, try new tools, and get positive encouragement on your journey. Visits may even be covered by your insurance. You can search for an area International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant via the ILCA website or the United States Lactation Consultant Association website.
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In addition to hospital retail stores, several local businesses offer products and services to support new moms. Rebel Birth Education and Resource Haven in Old Town Spring offers a variety of support groups and classes.
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Bambini Naturali, formerly Mockingbird Baby, will be relocating from Sawdust to Old Town Spring soon.
- For the 3am questions you need answered ASAP, KellyMom.com and nursing support groups on Facebook, WhatToExpect.com and BabyCenter.com are phenomenal resources to try. With a little searching, you may be able to find a greater online tribe to help with support.
Remember, frustrations with breastfeeding and fluctuations in hormones can lead to some intense emotions. Do not ignore potential symptoms of postpartum depression. Speak with your obstetrician or family doctor immediately if you suspect any postpartum depression symptoms. For more information visit http://www.postpartum.net/ or http://www.postpartumprogress.com/.
