UF Health understands the importance and individuality of every mother’s breastfeeding decision and journey. We offer a comprehensive list of services and highly skilled experts, including doctors, nurses, lactation consultants and midwives, who are trained to optimize breastfeeding for new moms and their little ones.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding for babies?

Breastfeeding provides optimal nutrition, antibodies that protect infants from infection and other diseases, and other health benefits:

• Lower risk of developing sudden infant death syndrome, or SIDS.
• Reduced rate of diarrhea.
• Fewer respiratory tract infections.
• Lower risk of developing Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes.
• Lower risk of developing childhood leukemia and other diseases.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months following birth, followed by continued breastfeeding with complementary foods for at least two years or longer.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding for mothers?

• Lowers risk of postpartum bleeding or complication.
• Reduces risk of postpartum depression.
• Assists uterus in returning to pre-pregnancy size.
• Decreases risk of anemia and infection.
• Reduces risk of high blood pressure and heart disease.
• Reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes.
• Reduces risk of breast, uterine, endometrial, and ovarian cancers.

While breastfeeding is natural, it does not always come naturally. Both mother and baby need to learn to breastfeed. With the help of our UF Health lactation consultants, health care providers and community breastfeeding support groups, you and your baby can enjoy the benefits and rewards of breastfeeding.

Breastfeeding support at UF Health

We offer family-focused care that is both culturally respectful and up-to-date on the latest improvements and methods for breastfeeding mothers.
Our breastfeeding services include assessing, treating and offering advice for the following:

• Breastfeeding complications
• Breastfeeding positions
• Low milk supply
• Mastitis
• Maternal chronic and acute illness
• Oversupply and overactive letdown
• Sore nipples
• Yeast infections, or thrush

We also assess and treat infant problems, such as:

• Allergies
• Cleft lip or palate
• Colic
• Latch issues
• Poor weight gain
• Reflux
• Tongue tie

Baby-Friendly Designation

In 2015, UF Health Shands Children's Hospital was awarded the Baby-Friendly designation by Baby-Friendly USA, a global initiative of the World Health Organization and UNICEF that recognizes birthing facilities that implement policies known to improve breastfeeding outcomes for infants and mothers. These are commonly known as the 10 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding. Step 10 is specific to outpatient support for breastfeeding mothers for any problems that may occur. Our practices have prioritized the unique needs of breastfeeding families so that services are patient-centered and can also be offered as outreach to families who see other providers.

UF Health Shands Children's Hospital is the only academic-based health facility in the state of Florida, the seventh hospital in the state of Florida and one of the only hospitals in North Central Florida that successfully implemented all of the required standards for this designation.