As international leaders in caring for the health of babies and children, Texas Children's Hospital knows the importance of breastfeeding and mother's milk to the health and development of newborn babies. Registered nurses and peer counselors specializing in lactation counseling and clinical breastfeeding management are available for clinic or hospital appointments. Educational programs and consul
tations to area hospitals and healthcare providers, including information on maternal medications and their excretion into breast milk, are available upon request. Texas Children's Milk Bank is a state-of-the-art collection, labeling, refrigeration and dispensing center that stores and prepares deposited breast milk to feed infants who are patients in Texas Children's Newborn Center nurseries. In January 2009, Texas Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) initiated a protocol of feeding donor breast milk to all NICU babies weighing fewer than three pounds if their mothers were unable to provide their own breast milk. In response to the growing needs of this protocol, Texas Children’s Milk Bank recently launched a Milk Donation Center to help provide for the nutritional needs of newborns in the NICU. Also available are breast pump rental, purchase of breastfeeding supplies and information regarding returning to work and continuation of breastfeeding. Contact information:
832-824-6120 – Daily (including weekends and holidays), 8 a.m. Texas Children’s page operator at 832-824-2099 – daily or after hours, ask to page the lactation consultant on call. For breastfeeding questions: breastfeeding@texaschildrens.org. Questions about milk donation: donatemilk@texaschildrens.org
To refer a patient, call 832-824-6120 or fax 832-825-3633.
