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Lactation Support

Centra's lactation educators provide practical instruction on getting started, avoiding problems and building confidence nursing your infant.
Centra Health

We're here for you

Centra offers Lactation Support Services seven days a week during regular business hours through our Warm Line at 434.401.9344. If one of Lactation Educators is unable to answer the phone we ask that you leave a detailed voicemail including your phone number, first and last name, and any of the questions you may have.


Breastfeeding benefits babies by lowering the risk for the following:

  • Diabetes
  • Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
  • Ear infections
  • Obesity
  • Allergies
  • Asthma
  • Pediatric cancers

What's does Baby Friendly® mean?

The Baby Friendly® initiative encourages breastfeeding to heighten health among babies and mothers. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for six months, followed by continued breastfeeding as complimentary foods are introduced for one year or longer as mutually desired by mother and infant.

Baby Café

Centra offers a breastfeeding support group, Baby Café, on Wednesdays from 10am-12pm in the Diabetic Conference Room just inside the Oak Lane entrance to Virginia Baptist Hospital. Facilitated by a Lactation Consultant, Baby Café is designed to be a supportive environment for moms to come and spend time with other moms who are sharing some of the same experiences. Lactation Consultants are available to answer simple questions and facilitate group discussions. One-on-one attention will be directed towards a scheduled appointment through our Lactation Clinic.

For more information, call 434.401.9344

Get directions to Virginia Baptist Hospital

 
A young mother cradles her breastfeeding child.

Advanced education for advanced care

All nurses who will care for you during your stay at Virginia Baptist Hospital have received 20 hours of lactation education. Certified lactation consultants support breastfeeding mothers inside the hospital’s mother baby unit. Our lactation consultants are feeding specialists so they can help you with all your infant feeding needs, even if you decide not to breastfeed.

Breast milk donation program

Milk donated through Prolacta will ensure Centra can provide the specialized nutritional care that premature infants need. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends the use of human milk–mother’s own or pasteurized donor milk if mom’s own milk is not available–for all preterm infants.

Centra works with Prolacta Bioscience® to provide 100% human milk nutritional products to babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Through this program, mothers from the community can select a Prolacta-affiliated milk bank that best meets their needs. Prolacta offers a network of milk banks where the donor either receives direct compensation for her milk donation or opts to have a charitable contribution made on her behalf.

To learn more about becoming a breast milk donor, call 434.200.5621