The Mother Baby Unit at UNMH provides private rooms for new mothers and their babies. Nurses are trained to help mothers successfully breastfeed or bottle feed. They also encourage skin-to-skin contact and keeping the baby at the bedside. Certified lactation specialists are available if needed. The unit also helps mothers transition to caring for their newborns at home.

1. UNMH Health Source
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 1 JULY 2011
UNMH Mother Baby Unit Provides Guidance & Support
Adult Urgent Care
Center Now Open The Mother Baby Unit establishing
at UNMH (MBU) is an all-private- breastfeeding or
room, maternity floor bottle-feeding
providing care for new skills. Rooms
 Open Monday
mothers and their healthy have a built-in
through Friday, newborns. guest bed so the
9 a.m. to 9 p.m. new mother can
 Located on the Nurses are trained to meet
have Dad, one
West side of the the needs of these special
family member
main hospital next patients and understand
or friend stay
to the former that birth is a normal
overnight with her. If the baby should require care in
Cancer Center process leading to exciting
the Newborn Intensive Care Unit
location (now the changes for the entire All nurses in the MBU are
(NICU), MBU staff help the
BBRP Plaza). family. trained to help the new
mother get to the baby’s bedside.
mother successfully begin
Mothers are encouraged to Assistance is also provided to begin
breastfeeding.
keep baby at the bedside breast pumping and getting milk to
(known as rooming in), If there is a need for more the baby, while encouraging the
which teaches them how intense intervention, mother to get rest so she can heal
to respond to the baby’s Certified Lactation and respond to the baby’s needs.
needs and establish Specialists are available to
Care also continues after discharge.
skin-to-skin care. Mothers assist during the hospital
Most babies are seen in the
also learn to identify stay.
Newborn Clinic two to three days
feeding cues while
after going home.
● continued, next page
UNMH Lactation Clinic
Breast milk is one of the Staff is available for The clinic staff can assist
best gifts a mother can give prenatal teaching and with introduction of foods
to her child. Often women assessment and follow-up when the baby is six
have concerns about being days after discharge, or any months old or when the
able to produce enough time a mother feels the mother is ready to wean the
milk or the ability to “do it need for support and baby.
right.” UNMH has a clinic guidance.
● continued, next page
dedicated solely to helping
woman successfully
breastfeed.

2. Lactation Clinic
UNM Hospitals Mission ● continued from previous page
Our patient care mission encompasses The clinic is staffed with two Registered Nurses
serving as an accessible, high-quality, who are specially trained to assist with
safety-focused, comprehensive care breastfeeding. The nurses are International
provider for all the people of Bernalillo Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC).
County, and providing specialized
services for people across the state. The clinic is open Monday through Saturday and
appointments last 45-60 minutes. If the nurse
Our education mission focuses on identifies an issue needing medical attention, she
creating a patient care environment can refer the mother or baby to appropriate
which is supportive of the educational providers. For an appointment, please call
programs of the UNM Health Sciences 272-0480. If needed, interpreter services are
Center health professional schools. provided.
Our research mission focuses on the
application of new biomedical
knowledge, translated to innovative
patient care programs and models of Do you know of a community
health care delivery, leading to health organization that would like to learn
status improvement for New Mexico.
more about UNM Hospitals?
As an organization, UNMH wants to
keep the public as informed as possible
Mother Baby Unit
● continued from previous page about our hospital and the services
available to the community.
Please contact Misty Salaz,
Private room
with visitor
UNM Hospitals Community
sleeping Relations Specialist, to present at
area for Dad your next meeting.
or a family
member.
mpsalaz@salud.unm.edu or 272-4388
This is when it’s crucial to monitor feeding, weight gain,
jaundice and the healing of the circumcision. The nurses
are available to answer any questions the family may have.
During the follow-up visit, nurses can assist mothers with
breastfeeding, if needed. In addition, the baby is assessed
by a nurse practitioner or a physician’s assistant. Before a
patient leaves the clinic, staff will make sure the baby has
an appointment for the well-baby checkup at 10-14 days of
life. If necessary, an appointment can also be scheduled to
return to the newborn or lactation clinic. h t t p : / / h o s p i t a l s. u n m . e d u