August marks Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and St. Anthony Regional Hospital wants to remind expectant mothers and families that The Birth Place team provides compassionate, specialized care throughout the prenatal, birthing and postpartum journey, including breastfeeding support.
“Breastfeeding Awareness Month is a chance to celebrate moms who choose to breastfeed because it’s a hard journey, whether they do so for one week or one year,” says Morgan Axman, director of The Birth Place. “Breastfeeding is a gift to your baby and can help reduce the risk of obesity, childhood cancer, disease and more. It’s a month when lactation specialists can really focus on educating others on the value of that care.”
The Birth Place is staffed by dedicated lactation and labor and delivery specialists. OB navigator nurses and lactation experts Brooke Bass and Payton Brauckman are based in The Birth Place, while clinical navigator nurse Chelsey Kremer works from the clinic side, managing prenatal calls with patients. Together with Axman and the rest of The Birth Place team, they’re ready to help moms and babies through prenatal education, in-hospital lactation assistance and continued breastfeeding guidance after they return home.
Navigating the Challenges of Postpartum Lactation
According to The Birth Place lactation consultants, one of the most common challenges new mothers face when breastfeeding is around six to 12 weeks postpartum, when their supply may begin to decrease.
“They’re stressed and tired,” says Bass. “One thing they often think to do is to stop breastfeeding or pumping. We want women to feel supported and prepared, not only when they come to us but also when they leave. That’s why we see a lot of patients weeks — and even months — after they have their baby for feeding concerns or mental health support. Sometimes they just need someone to talk to.”
For mothers experiencing difficulties with latching, positioning, pumping and more, The Birth Place team provides continued lactation assistance through educational resources, regular check-ins and programs that benefit both mom and baby during the postpartum period.
“We have more lactation support than ever before, which allows us to expand our services into postpartum visits, support groups and even postpartum mental healthcare,” says Brauckman.
Specifically, Bass and Brauckman conduct postpartum check-ins to assess patients’ post-birth needs, including how they are adjusting to pumping, feeding schedules and returning to work.
“Postpartum, Brooke and Payton call patients three, six and 12 months after birth,” says Axman. “The patient can then schedule a postpartum appointment in person with Brooke and Payton if they feel they need follow-up care.”
In 2025 alone, The Birth Place had 941 patient points of contact, including pre- and postpartum calls and emails.
“We anticipate more touchpoints in 2026, potentially above 1,500,” says Axman.
Support When You Need it Most
Postpartum depression is a significant concern for many families. According to a multinational study, postpartum depression affects roughly 10% of women, or 1 in 7 women, after birth.
“It’s one of the biggest needs in the breastfeeding and new mom community,” says Axman. “Feeding correlates to mental health scores. Hearing others talk about their issues, from latching to lack of sleep, makes everyone feel more supported.”
Fortunately, The Birth Place has spent the past few years expanding access to mental health resources through the introduction of the Postpartum Support Group and Breastfeeding Friendly Business Initiative, as well as the addition of a perinatal mental health specialist — efforts that have helped the department achieve a Center of Excellence grant.
The Postpartum Support Group, led by Bass and Brauckman, provides a welcoming space for new moms to make friends, share stories and tips, and find encouragement from others navigating postpartum life and breastfeeding. It also gives mothers the opportunity to connect in person with a certified lactation specialist outside their regular appointments.
“We can even weigh your baby at group meetings, which brings mothers peace of mind so that they don’t have to worry if their baby is gaining enough weight before their next appointment,” says Brauckman.
The support group meets weekly on Tuesday mornings and on one evening per month. At the meetings, they celebrate babies’ early milestones through an initiative called The Milestone Club, in addition to hosting holiday gatherings. It is open to other family members and guests, including spouses, grandparents, siblings and friends who are interested in learning more about feeding, infant development, sleep and milestones.
Learn more about the Postpartum Support Group and upcoming gatherings here.
New this year, Bass and Brauckman also launched the West Central Iowa Breastfeeding Coalition, with its first initiative focused on Breastfeeding Friendly Businesses, an effort to help parents and caregivers returning to work after parental leave.
“Our goal with the coalition is to spread awareness and resources for new and breastfeeding moms beyond Carroll,” says Bass. “Breastfeeding rates in the communities we serve are high, but we want them to be higher. Working with local businesses to help make moms — and dads — feel more comfortable coming back to work is something we hope to achieve through this program.”
This effort extends beyond the Carroll community and includes 14 surrounding counties, as well as additional healthcare practices in these locations. Participating businesses work with the coalition to help moms feel more comfortable breastfeeding at work, including developing inclusive return-to-work policies, reviewing furniture needs for dedicated privacy rooms, and identifying other ways to support new parents.
Businesses interested in becoming a Breastfeeding Friendly Business can call our lactation specialists at 712-794-5260 to learn more.
Going Above and Beyond for New Families
The Birth Place team is helping breastfeeding moms feel more confident throughout their journey — and that commitment extends beyond the Carroll community.
“You don’t have to deliver at our facility to participate in our postpartum group offerings and lactation services,” says Axman. “You can schedule an appointment even if you didn’t deliver at St. Anthony.”
The goal of The Birth Place is — and always will be — to foster a supportive community.
“We always go back to what our community needs,” says Axman. “Right now, breastfeeding-friendly businesses are constantly expanding, which is what our community needs. But it’s not just about Carroll — we’re proud to expand our service offerings and what we can give our patients to any new moms out there.”
For new mothers navigating their breastfeeding journey, your local lactation specialists offer this advice: Trust the process. Your body can do this, and your baby is not starving during that first week. Social media can be helpful, but trust the professionals and lactation specialists in your community. You’ll hear advice from many people, but however you choose to feed your baby is the best way for your family.
To schedule an appointment with The Birth Place and our lactation experts, call 712-794-5260 or email [email protected].
Citation
Amer SA, Zaitoun NA, Abdelsalam HA, Abbas A, Ramadan MS, Ayal HM, Ba-Gais SEA, Basha NM, Allahham A, Agyenim EB, Al-Shroby WA. Exploring predictors and prevalence of postpartum depression among mothers: Multinational study. BMC Public Health. 2024 May 14;24(1):1308. doi: 10.1186/s12889-024-18502-0. PMID: 38745303; PMCID: PMC11092128.