Breastfeeding Support

Babies were born to breastfeed!

Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican's San Martin and Siena Campuses encourage every mother to breastfeed because breast milk provides babies excellent nutrition, and breastfeeding benefits mom, too!

We Are Baby-Friendly

The Birth Centers at the San Martín and Siena Campuses are the first in southern Nevada to earn the prestigious Baby-Friendly USA designation. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative is a global program launched by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) to encourage and recognize hospitals that offer an optimal level of care for infant feeding and mother/baby bonding. 

Breastfeeding Support at St. Rose Dominican

We have one of the most extensive breastfeeding programs in the state. The Siena Campus has lactation staff coverage seven days a week, and the San Martin Campus has coverage six days a week. While breastfeeding is the best for your baby and leads to wonderful bonding, it can sometimes be challenging to get started. This is where our lactation support comes in. We will guide and help you and your baby learn to breastfeed successfully.

Features of our breastfeeding support program include:

• Prenatal breastfeeding classes
  
  
• In-hospital support, including 
  
  • Certified Lactation Counselors
  • Certified Lactation Educators
    
    
• Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Clinics, a federal program providing supplemental foods, health care referrals and nutrition education for low-income pregnant women (and moms), infants, and children up to 5 years of age.
  
  
• Breast pump rentals
  
  
• Breastfeeding Warmline, (702) 616-4908
  
  
• La Leche League

ABCs of Breastfeeding

Breastfeeding is one of the greatest gifts you can give your new baby. At St. Rose Dominican, we understand that sometimes breastfeeding can be challenging. We have developed this video to help answer some of the most common questions, and to help you be successful with breastfeeding your new baby.

Hand Expressing

Breastfeeding can sometimes be challenging, especially when your baby is in the NICU. We encourage mothers to pump their milk for use in the NICU. However, hand expressing is also needed to ensure your milk supply continues. We have developed this video to help answer your questions and show you how to hand express.

Breastfeeding Benefits

Breastfeeding babies:

• Feel more secure, warm, and comforted
  
  
• Have a lower incidence of ear infections
  
  
• Have a reduction in Atopic Dermatitis (a form of Eczema)
  
  
• Have a much lower risk of hospitalization due to lower respiratory diseases
  
  
• Have a reduced risk of gastroenteritis
  
  
• Have a reduced risk of type 1 and 2 diabetes 
  
  
• Have a reduction in the risk of asthma (for those with a family history of asthma) 
  
  
• Have a reduced risk of becoming overweight or obese as a teen or adult
  
  
• Have half the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and childhood cancers
  
  
• Have improved cognitive development (higher IQ scores as well as better brain and nervous
  system development

Breastfeeding moms:

• Have a decreased risk of breast and ovarian cancers, anemia, and osteoporosis 
  
  
• May have a reduced risk of postpartum depression 
  
  
• Have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes 
  
  
• Save money on milk, healthcare costs, and time lost to care for a sick child