Just ask your care team (nurses or doctors) and they will be able to place a consultation. Our criteria is simple: if you have the capacity to make milk, we will follow your care.
Lactation Support
The Lactation Support program at CHEO is a team of NICU and pediatric registered nurses who are also International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) and are specially trained to provide lactation support to families with sick infants and children.
Below you will find a variety of resources that will help you if you are breastfeeding or chestfeeding. Inclusive terminology is important as it acknowledges and respects the diverse identities and experiences of all family structures and caregivers.
At CHEO, we are committed to gender-affirming care. The terms 'mother,' 'lactating parents,’ ‘caregiver,’ 'breastfeeding/chestfeeding,’ and 'feeding goal' are used interchangeably to encompass the broad spectrum of caregivers and feeding practices involved in nurturing and nourishing infants and young children.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do we consult the Lactation Support Team when we are admitted to CHEO?
How soon should I start breastfeeding after childbirth?
If you have experienced a delivery without complications, you should be given the opportunity to experience “the golden hour”, where baby is placed on your chest immediately after delivery. You should be given the opportunity to feed as soon as baby is showing hunger cues.
If your delivery may not have gone as planned or if you are recovering post cesarian section, skin to skin and milk expression should be done at the earliest time that both mother and baby are stable enough to do so, ideally in the first 6 hours post partum.
This video from SickKids can help you assessess your babies breastfeeding intake: Breastfeeding Intake Assessment - Part 1, How to know if a baby is drinking enough milk - SickKids
How often should I breastfeed my baby?
Breastfed babies feed on their own schedules. We call this baby led or cue led feeding. You will often find that breastfed babies wake every 2-3 hours to feed, however, it is normal to experience periods where baby will feed more frequently. This is known as cluster feeding.
If your baby has high needs, is sleepy or it has been specified by health care providers to feed more frequently, we often recommend keeping baby to a 3 hour schedule to ensure optimal intake.
How do I know if my baby is hungry?
When your baby is hungry, your baby will show different signs or messages that they might need to feed. We look for “early” hunger cues such as beginnings of wakefulness or squirming, opening their mouths, licking their lips or bringing their hands to mouth. If the baby starts to cry, or wakes up very hungry, this is considered a later hunger cue and may need some calming before attempting to feed. You can calm your baby by placing them in skin to skin with a parent or assisting with non-nutritive sucking on a clean finger or soother. Once the baby is calm, you may attempt a latch or offer a bottle.
How do I get my baby to latch?
Please reference the following video for latch assistance and positioning aids:
After birth, your body produces a very concentrated form of breast milk called colostrum. It is packed with all of the nutrients your baby needs in the first few days of life. You will only produce small amounts or even drops of this liquid gold in the fist few days. Most moms typically see their milk change from colostrum to breastmilk between day 3 and 5 of post-partum life. Sometimes it will change quickly, however some experience a gradual increase. Most moms will experience signs of painful or full breasts (called engorgement) and feel emotional on the day their milk comes in as it is a signs of your changing post-partum hormones. Do not fret is your experience is different than others, however if you have questions or concerns, reach out to a lactation consultant to guide you through it.
Is it safe to buy breastmilk on the internet?
At CHEO, we discourage the use of internet-based milk sharing sites and instead recommend contacting milk banks. Research has demonstrated that some milk samples sold online have been contaminated with a range of bacteria, viruses and pathogens, and medications not safe for the breastfeeding infant.
Donor human milk banks, where processed human milk comes from screened donors, have a long safety record in North America. All member banks of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA) must operate under specific evidence-based guidelines that require extensive testing and processing procedures as well as self-reported health information and a health statement from both the donor’s health care provider and the infant’s health care provider.
Please refer to the following website to find a milk bank near you:
Where can I find more information about breastfeeding for families living with HIV?
CHEO follows the Canadian pediatric and perinatal HIV/AIDS consensus recommendations for families breastfeeding their infants who are living with HIV/AIDS. Our Team works closely with the Infectious Disease (ID) team to establish a plan and whether breastfeeding is a viable option for your family. The Team would need to assess whether the lactating parent's viral load is undetectable and has strict compliance with ART medications.
For more detailed information on breastfeeding for families living with HIV, and to help you decide if you would like to continue to offer your milk to your baby, visit CATIE - Canada's source for HIV and hepatitis C Information. They have detailed information on HIV medication, medical appointments, breast care and more.
Additional Resources
Have you registered for MyChart?
MyChart is a free, secure, online patient portal that connects patients to parts of their CHEO electronic health record, anywhere, at any time.