Lactation Services
Help With Breastfeeding from Experienced Lactation Professionals
We have been helping new mothers get started with a good breastfeeding routine since 1999. We are delighted to report that MarinHealth Medical Center initiation rates (percentage of moms who choose to breastfeed) are currently at 99 percent! As a Baby-Friendly hospital, we are committed to the education and support a new mother needs to establish breastfeeding.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby's life, followed by breastfeeding in combination with the introduction of complementary foods until at least 12 months of age. If a woman chooses not to breastfeed that long, it’s still a good idea to nurse for the first six months.
Breastfeeding has been proven to be healthy for both mother and baby:
- Breast milk is the ideal first baby food. It provides balanced nutrition and is a loving, nurturing way to strengthen the bond between mother and baby.
- Breastfeeding provides an infant with maternal antibodies that strengthen the immune system and help the little one stay healthy. Studies show breastfeeding may help protect a baby against common illnesses such as diarrhea, ear infections, and pneumonia, as well as sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), juvenile diabetes, and childhood cancers.
- Breastfeeding helps protect women against breast and ovarian cancer, anemia, and osteoporosis.
- Mothers who breastfeed and return to work take fewer sick, and are often more productive and happier with their work situation.
- Learn more about how to safely store breast milk at home.
Appointments & Registration
To schedule an appointment with MarinHealth Lactation Services, please call 1-415-925-7522. Once you have scheduled your appointment, we encourage you to pre-register for your lactation services consultation, by filling out the following form.
Support & Supplies
Our Lactation Services staff consists of registered nurses and certified nurse midwives who are also certified lactation consultants. Our goal is to help women ease into breastfeeding and infant care through education, counseling, and support. Our Lactation Center also offers rentals of supplies such as the Medela Breast Pump, and baby scales. Call our Lactation Center for more information: 1-415-925-7522.
In addition to support from our nurse and midwife lactation consultants, Rachel Yang, MD, CLC, IBCLC provides specialized care in breastfeeding medicine for those who may experience maternal complications with lactation.
Lactation Services are available to all Bay Area families, at MarinHealth Medical Center in Greenbrae. We welcome all mothers, regardless of where they had their baby.