The Care You Deserve From the Name You Trust
The CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Mother Baby Clinic is dedicated to supporting Southwest Louisiana families as we bridge the gap between your hospital stay and care at home, all while in partnership with your pediatrician’s office.
We offer a wide range of services including breastfeeding support, baby weight management, and jaundice management.
The Mother Baby Clinic is staffed with experienced, trusted lactation consultant nurses.
2024 Prenatal Class Schedule
Baby Basics takes the parents from the moment of delivery through the first few months of life. We cover your stay in the hospital, newborn appearance and characteristics, infant feeding, care, and safety. We strive to show the parents what to expect as normal and when to call the doctor. Parents can ask questions throughout the session. We also have “hands on” activities to practice changing diapers and swaddling babies. Basic baby care is learned in a casual setting with other expectant parents. A hospital tour is offered at the end of the class.
COST: $20 per couple
TIME: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
DATES: May 6/ July 8/ Sept. 9/ Nov. 4
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Breastfeeding class is designed to teach new moms the basics of breastfeeding including: its benefits, early feeding, positioning, latching on, and milk production. You will learn about: breast anatomy, hormones, the importance of exclusive breast milk feeding for six months, and the prevention and management of common concerns.
COST: $20 per couple
TIME: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
DATES: Mar. 21/ May TBA/ July 25/ Sept.19/ Nov. 21
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Natural Childbirth class is designed to instruct expectant parents about what to expect during the process of labor and delivery. Couples will learn about the stages of labor, how to prepare mentally and physically for the labor process, comfort techniques to manage the pain for an unmedicated birth, timing contractions, and breathing techniques. Couples will have hands on practice with labor tools such as a peanut ball, birthing ball, CUBs chair and practice comfort positions. This will increase your confidence in your body’s ability to deliver a baby naturally and you will learn to advocate for yourself and your baby. A hospital tour is offered at the end of the class.
COST: $20 per couple
TIME: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
DATES: Mar 14/ May 9/ July 18/ Sept. 12/ Nov. 14
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Prepared Childbirth class is offered to mothers and families to help prepare you for your birth experience. You will learn about what to expect when you go into labor and when to come to the hospital. We cover the stages of labor, procedures, medications, pain management, and the birth process. Whether you have a vaginal birth or a cesarean section, we want your birth experience to be a memorable one. A hospital tour is offered at the end of the class.
COST: $20 per couple
TIME: 9:00 am - 12 pm / Saturday
DATES: Mar. 23/ May 25/ July 20/ Sept. 14/ Nov. 9
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Pediatric CPR class is facilitated by registered nurses and taught with video led instruction produced by the American Heart Association. Participants will learn step by step how to intervene in emergent situations that require CPR for children and infants. They will learn when it is necessary to initiate CPR. In addition, participants will learn how to correctly manage a mild and severe airway block in an infant or child. Instruction will also be given about using an AED properly. Hands on practice of chest compressions and giving breaths using manikins will help to boost your confidence in these lifesaving skills.
COST: $10 per person
TIME: 6:00 - 8:30 pm
DATES: Mar. 28/ May 16/ July 23/ Sept. 26/ Nov. 19
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Nurse guided tour of the hospital including Labor and Delivery and Post Partum units. Approximately 30-minute hospital tour by appointment only.
Call (337) 475-4788 to register for classes.
All classes are held in the 1st floor classroom at CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital.
Bridging the Gap Between Home and Your Pediatrician
- Weight Management – Caring for a newborn that is losing weight or slow to gain weight can be difficult. The Mother Baby Clinic offers expert breastfeeding assessments, weighted feedings, and individualized feeding plans to help your baby gain weight appropriately. Additionally, you will receive a personalized feeding plan and in-clinic weight progress follow-ups as needed until your baby has a healthy, established weight-gain pattern.
- Breastfeeding Support – Breastfeeding support in Southwest Louisiana is led by international board-certified lactation consultants. CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area has established outpatient lactation services to assist mothers and babies in need of breastfeeding support. All moms are welcome, even those who delivered their babies somewhere other than CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital. Here, mothers can meet one-on-one with an international board-certified lactation consultant to address their specific needs and those of their babies.
A Comprehensive Approach to Care
Consultations with our international board-certified lactation consultants are available by appointment and require a physician referral. Referrals are accepted for all mothers and babies; regardless of their delivery hospital or method of payment.
At CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital, we support mothers breastfeeding their babies as newborns and beyond.
Location and Hours
CHRISTUS Ochsner Lake Area Hospital
Mother Baby Clinic
James W. Gardiner Breast Center- Building I
(located on the hospital campus)
4200 Nelson Road
Lake Charles, LA 70605
Hours
Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
By appointment only. Referral required.
Breastfeeding is Natural, but it Doesn’t Always Come Naturally
Lactation services at the Mother Baby Clinic provide dedicated support to assist families in achieving their personal breastfeeding goals with professional, compassionate, and knowledgeable lactation expertise. By carefully listening, we seek to empower mothers in a collaborative manner with education and evidence-based practices. We offer a welcoming, nurturing environment where moms can freely share their experiences, allowing them to lower their stress levels when breastfeeding gets challenging.
Services and Amenities:
- One-on-one consultation with an RN/internationally board-certified lactation consultant.
- Consultations consist of breastfeeding history, maternal and infant health history, examination of mother’s breasts and infant’s mouth, observation and assessment of a nursing session, teaching of techniques to facilitate correct and effective breastfeeding, infant weight check with digital scale, and a written, personalized plan of care to promote breastfeeding success.
- Literature resources
Outpatient Lactation Support can Assist with These Motherly Concerns:
- Pain related to nipple/breast, mastitis, engorgement, plugged ducts, thrush/yeast, or latch problems
- Low milk supply or oversupply and weaning support
- Health history such as fertility issues, breast surgeries, prior breastfeeding issues, hormonal issues, and breast health concerns
Baby/Child Concerns:
- Slow weight gain, supplemental feeds
- Non-latching baby, suck dysfunction, oral motor issues, tongue, and lip tie
- Feeding tools such as bottles, nipple shields
- Special concerns such as prematurity, multiples, traumatic birth, medical and anatomical issues