Breastfeeding Support Services
When you face breastfeeding challenges, get personalized support to help you and your baby thrive. Consultive services and hands-on approaches are available for the following:
- Baby weight checks
- Breastfeeding after breast surgery
- Breastfeeding twins, triplets or more
- Fixing latching problems
- Getting ready to breastfeed in the hospital
- Learning how to hand-express milk
- Managing low or high milk supply
- Pumping tips, going back to work and weaning
- Safe medication use while breastfeeding
- Treating plugged ducts and breast infections
You don't need a referral for breastfeeding support. Insurance covers most of our services, but you should contact your health insurance company to verify your coverage. Please bring your insurance information to your first visit.
You can usually make a same- or next-day breastfeeding support appointment with us. Appointments can last 15 minutes to an hour, based on your needs.
Using a Breast Pump
Breast pumps can be a big help when you're breastfeeding. You might need a breast pump for many reasons:
- Your baby is early or has trouble latching
- Your breasts feel too full, or your nipples are sore
- You have flat or inverted nipples and need help before feeding
- You'll be away from your baby for work or school
- You want to donate your milk
If you're not sure about using a breast pump, our lactation specialists are here to help. They can answer any of your questions.
Contact your insurance company about breast pump coverage. They may need a prescription from your doctor and have other rules. Refer to our list of breast pump resources to help you find the right breast pump.
Classes and Events
Breastfeeding Classes
You can take breastfeeding classes online and in-person class at CentraCare.
Baby Café
Meet other breastfeeding families at our free, weekly Baby Café in Monticello and St. Cloud. It's a relaxed, child-friendly environment that includes open forum discussions about breastfeeding and pumping.
Breast Milk Storage & Preparation
Visit the Center for Disease Control’s Breastfeeding webpage to learn safe storage and preparation techniques for expressed breast milk. You can also download the Storage and Preparation of Breast Milk flier in English and Spanish on the webpage.
Community Resources
Download our Lactation Resource guide for other support groups, helpful websites and phone apps.
Milk Banks & Donations
What’s a Milk Bank?
Milk banks help sick and premature babies whose mothers can’t provide enough milk themselves. Babies can get the human milk they need to grow and stay healthy from a milk bank.
Milk banks screen donors to ensure the milk is safe. Registered donors can drop off breast milk at a milk depot close to them. Then, the milk depots deliver the milk to the Minnesota Milk Bank for Babies (MMBB), a non-profit organization, for pasteurization. The milk bank then provides the milk to hospital neonatal intensive care units (NICUs), adoptive parents and others.
CentraCare Milk Depot Community Partnership
By offering milk depots, CentraCare supports the health of newborns in our community. This service is part of our commitment to your family's well-being at every stage of life.
Become A Milk Depot Donor
To become a milk donor, view the donor requirements on the MMBB website’s Donate Milk page. After reviewing the requirements, complete the free screening and registration process if you're eligible.
Once approved, you can donate your breast milk to these CentraCare milk depot locations:
- CentraCare – Long Prairie takes milk donations by appointment. Call 320-732-7290 to schedule a drop-off.
- CentraCare – Monticello takes milk donations 24/7. Call 763-271-2218.
- CentraCare Plaza in St. Cloud takes milk donations by appointment. Call 320-251-2700, ext. 51990, to schedule a drop-off.
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