Breastfeeding/Chestfeeding Support

Breastfeeding is the best, most nurturing way of feeding your baby – something special you can do for your child.

General information about breastfeeding

• About breastfeeding - Minnesota Department of Health (MDH)
• Benefits of breastfeeding for parents and baby.
• Preparing and learning to breastfeed - Office Department of Health and Human Services

Get support

• Lactation Resources in Ramsey County.
  • Hospitals and clinics offer laction services, often from an International Board-Certified Lactation Counselor (IBCLC)
  • Find classes in the community and peer groups.
• Ramsey County Lactation Lounge 
  • Highland Library: drop in lactation support, get questions answered, socialize, connect.

Adoption and relactating

• Relactating
  • Starting breast/chestfeeding after a period of interruption or stopping.
• Inducing lactation
  • Adoptive parents and non-gestational parents may desire to breast/chestfeed their baby. It is possible to start making milk without going through a pregnancy and birth.
  • The process of inducing lactation involves stimulation of the nipple and breast by pumping, hand expression, and/or direct suckling of the child and it may involve the use of herbs and medications with the guidance of a medical provider. 

Expressing breastmilk and storage of milk

• Human Milk Storage Guidelines
• Electric Pump and Hands-on Pumping - getting the most out of your pumping session
• Hand Expression - helpful if you don't have access to your breast pump

​Back to work and school

Helpful information for parents returning to work, but it is a Texas website, so laws mentioned may not be accurate for Minnesota. For information about MN law, please refer to Laws Protecting Pregnancy and Lactation.

• BreastmilkCounts.com - Texas WIC/Health and Human Services

Forgot your pump? Try hand expression.

• Hand expression - If you’re ever in a pinch and don’t have access to your breast pump, you can hand express.

Getting the most of your pumping session

• How to pump

Proper storage and preparation of breast milk

• Human Milk Storage Guidelines

• Frequently Asked Questions - Women's Economic Security Act (WESA)
• The Business case for Breastfeeding - why employers should support their lactating employees
• Employers supporting lactating employees - video

Requirements of a lactation space:

• Close to the work area.
• A space other than a bathroom.
• Shielded from view.
• Free from intrusion from coworkers and the public.
• Close to a working electrical outlet.
• If no space exists, the employer may temporarily designate a space or make a space available when needed by employee. Must be a functional space (has a place to sit other than floor, flat surface to place pump/equipment)
• Become a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace recognized by the Minnesota Department of Health to best support your employees

Employer support

Support may be available to your workplace to create a lactation space.  Reach out to Ramsey County SHIP.

Organizations that serve the public

• Guide to help your organization support breastfeeding families (PDF) - Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health and SHIP
• Breast/chestfeeding Friendly Public Spaces in Ramsey County, MN - video

Saint Paul - Ramsey County Public Health

The Public Health Department is a GOLD level Breastfeeding Friendly Health Department.

Ramsey County WIC Program

Lactation support, nutrition education and food support for children 0-5 years, pregnant and post-partum parents.

• Call: 651-266-1300
• Visit: Ramsey County WIC
• Fill out this form to see if you are eligible: Apply for WIC

Ramsey County SHIP

If you have questions about lactation support, please reach out to SHIP to learn more.

Twin Cities Regional Breastfeeding Coalition (TCRBC)

A group of lactation professionals and advocates in the Metro area. We meet monthly to network, share challenges and opportunities, and collaboratively make the Twin Cities area a better place for lactating families.

• Learn more

Minnesota Breastfeeding Coalition

A collection of lactation advocates and professionals, from coalitions and communities, dedicated to a single mission: 
Working collaboratively to create environments where breastfeeding is valued and supported to achieve natural infant feeding equity in all Minnesota communities. 

• Learn more