Important Announcements

Nondiscrimination Policy Update

Boston Medical Center Health System complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, color, national origin (including limited English proficiency and primary language), religion, culture, physical or mental disabilities, socioeconomic status, sex, sexual orientation and gender identity and/or expression. BMCHS provides free aids and services to people with disabilities and free language services to people whose primary language is not English.

To read our full Nondiscrimination Statement, click here.

Clinical Breastfeeding Services

Our vision is to provide evidence-based outpatient and inpatient lactation support and breastfeeding medicine to all BMC patients. We founded the first breastfeeding medicine clinic at BMC in December 2021 with two providers and over 500 mother-baby dyads served as of July 2023. We are working to grow this clinic and branch out to provide additional services. Stay-tuned for updates on our expanding program!

Breastfeeding Medicine Clinic

This clinic cares for lactating patients and their infants with complex breastfeeding problems requiring medical management. BMC or BMC Health System (community health center) patients can be referred to the clinic by a BMC provider or lactation consultant. Lactation consultants outside of BMC can contact the clinic directly to place referrals. The clinic is located physically within the BMC OB/Gyn outpatient clinic and offers telemedicine as well as in-person visits. 

Our Team

 

When to Refer a Patient

Indications for referral include but are not limited to: 

  • Complex pain, chronic nipple or breast pain relating to lactation
  • Milk production concerns (low production, overproduction) including lab/imaging work up and medical management when appropriate
  • Endocrine disorders impacting lactation
  • History of breast surgery or congenital breast anatomic conditions
  • Medication concerns in lactating parent
  • Induction of lactation for non-pregnant parent
  • Follow-up to NICU stay
  • Infant weight loss
  • Infant food allergies/intolerance, colic, GERD relating to breastfeeding
  • Infant medical conditions impacting breastfeeding
  • Infant oral-motor problems
  • Infant tongue/lip tie

Prenatal consults for people with comorbidities such as diabetes, PCOS, history of breast surgery, chronic medical conditions, substance use disorder, history of significant lactation problems with prior children

Providers, please see Provider Resources for details on the referral process. 

Breastfeeding Medicine E-Consults

E-Consults are provider-to-provider communications in which a specialists addresses a clinical question, which is documented in the patient chart and billed to insurance. The specialist does not see or speak to the patient, but rather answers the question based on the information given by the referring provider or easily accessible in the patient record. ​​E-consult is best for medication and imaging safety questions, prenatal planning around chronic medical conditions, history of breast surgery without significant anatomic deformity, and patients currently admitted to the hospital. New E-consults are viewed by providers daily and responded to within 72 hours.