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At the NIH, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees.  We know that returning to work after having a baby can be difficult, especially for women who choose to breastfeed.  We want to provide the worksite assistance needed for you and your baby to remain happy and healthy.  The Nursing Mothers Program provides services for future and current nursing mothers that have concerns about breastfeeding.  The program provides the emotional support and worksite assistance nursing mothers need to make the return to work less stressful.

The Nursing Mothers Program provides:

• Prenatal breastfeeding education classes entitled "Breastfeeding and Return to Work" and "How to Get Started with Breastfeeding?" which are taught on the NIH campus. The ideal time to attend the class is during the third trimester of your pregnancy.

• Telephone support while on maternity leave with our lactation consultants who provide advice and problem-solving during the critical first weeks that you're home with your baby.

• Return to work consultation concerning how to maintain lactation and other issues related to making the transition back to work. Approximately two weeks prior to returning to work you will receive a private consultation with a Lactation Consultant to discuss how to collect and store your milk and other issues related to the transition back to work.

• Onsite lactation rooms in NIH buildings (located on and off the NIH Main Campus). Most rooms are equipped with a breast pump.

You must be enrolled in the Nursing Mothers Program in order to take advantage of these services. 

To learn more, call 301-496-2960 or visit at:  https://www.ors.od.nih.gov/sr/dohs/HealthAndWellness/Pages/lactation.aspx.