The O'Bleness Birth Center offers two breastfeeding classes to help mothers and their babies discover the joys of breastfeeding. One of the classes offered is the Basic Breastfeeding Class, which provides expectant mothers with essential information about breastfeeding. Issues addressed in this class include anatomy of the breast, physiology of lactation and demonstration of positioning for breastfeeding.

The second breastfeeding class offered by the O'Bleness Birth Center is Breastfeeding for the Working Mother. This class offers advice to working mothers about how to maintain and manage breastfeeding if the mother is working. Issues addressed in this class include preparing to go back to work, and pumping and storing breast milk, as well as resources and products that are especially helpful to nursing mothers who work. Mothers should note that this class does not cover the basic information offered by the Basic Breastfeeding Class.

The classes are designed for expectant mothers, are free of charge and do not require registration. One class is held every month, with the classes alternating.

Any questions about the breastfeeding classes can be directed to our lactation consultant at (740) 592-9364.

Breastfeeding Follow-up Sessions

In addition to breastfeeding classes, O'Bleness Memorial Hospital offers Breastfeeding Follow-up Sessions. The sessions are free and are held every Wednesday from 11 a.m. until noon in O'Bleness' Lower Level Room 004.

O'Bleness' international board-certified lactation consultant will lead the sessions. She will provide a baby weight check and discuss topics such as: what to expect and what is normal, how to overcome difficulties, breastfeeding management issues and any additional questions or concerns of breastfeeding mothers.

Mothers' Milk Bank of Ohio

O'Bleness Memorial Hospital is a collection site as well as a distribution site for the Mother's Milk Bank of Ohio (MMBO), a member of the Human Milk Banking Association of North America (HMBANA). OhioHealth in Columbus, Ohio, an affiliate of the HMBANA, established the MMBO program in 2005 at Grant Medical Center in Columbus. Having a collection site at O'Bleness provides convenience for local donors to store their donated milk until it is taken to MMBO in Columbus for processing. The O'Bleness Memorial Hospital Guild provided funds for a freezer for storage of donated milk. O'Bleness donates the lab work required for each donor. As a distribution site, O'Bleness is able to respond to the need for supplemental human milk for babies.

Why Donor Milk?

Human milk is the most nourishing food for newborns. It contains antibodies to fight disease and helps mature the infant's digestive tract. Human milk also contains growth hormones to help the infant's growth and development. Feeding an infant human milk is a perfect way to start a baby's healthy development. Donated milk can be obtained through a physician's prescription.

Donation Process

Mother's who donate milk are nursing and producing more milk than they need. Surplus milk is accepted from mothers who are healthy non-smokers and have passed multiple tests and screenings. Once the milk is donated, MMBO follows specific guidelines established by HMBANA for pasteurizing, processing and bottling to ensure the safety of the milk. Read about how donor human milk is also now available from the O'Bleness Birth Center www.obleness.org.

If you are interested in being a potential donor contact milkbank@ohiohealth.com or visit the Web site, www.ohiohealth .com.

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