What is the IDOH Lactation After Loss Program?
Lactation after Loss (LAL) is a program from the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) to support families and healthcare providers.
The program goals include:
1. Educating parents about lactation options after a loss due to miscarriage (16-weeks gestation or later), stillbirth, or infant loss
2. Educating providers to increase knowledge surrounding lactation options after a loss and comfortability in having these conversations with families
3. Providing support regarding lactation to grieving mothers
- Provider and Patient Education: Gentle guidance for navigating lactation after loss.
- Lactation Options: Education for families about their options for milk suppression or expression. This includes information about how to dry up a milk supply and how to donate milk to another family, in honor of a baby.
- Breast Pump: For those who choose to donate their milk in memory of their baby or those who need a pump to assist with comfort while suppressing their milk supply.
- Pumping Supplies: A ruler and guide to nipple measuring, flange inserts for the correct fit, milk storage bags, milk storage guidelines, and breast pads.
- Resource Folder: information about grief, lactation, and caring for yourself after a loss.
If you would like to help a patient request a kit, please email IDOHFIMR@health.in.gov
If you need to order a Birth Certificate or Death Certificate, please click here.
- Guide to Grief
- About LAL: English | Spanish | French | Arabic | Burmese | Korean
- Measuring Guide: English | Spanish | French | Arabic | Burmese | Korean
- Letter to our loss families, by Annabelle Poindexter
- Family Letter
Frequently Asked Questions
Have a question that you think would be helpful to add here? Email IDOHFIMR@health.in.gov
- As a provider, what is the best way for me to distribute information about LAL to my patients?
Patient education should include that lactation can start at 16-weeks (or earlier for some moms) gestation. This allows mom to know one of the things to expect after a loss. Providing families with IDOHFIMR@health.in.gov and encouraging them to reach out to learn more about their options surrounding lactation after a loss is also beneficial to your patients.
- How much does a LAL kit cost?
The kit is completely free to families that have experienced a loss. We want to ensure that every grieving family has access to a breast pump and other supplies so they can make the decision of what to do with mom’s milk supply that is best for them.
- Where can I get training on supporting bereaved families?
Just email us at IDOHFIMR@health.in.gov
- Where can I direct my patients for grief support after a loss?
You can find support in different places. Here are a few:
- Postpartum Support International offers 24/7 support options that can be found on their website, or you can call their hotline at Call 1-800-944-4773 (4PPD)
- Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – Call or text 1-833-TLC-MAMA
- Or reach out to IDOHGrief@health.in.gov and we will do our best to connect you with resources in your area
- Who can I direct my patients to if they are experiencing thoughts of suicide or mental health or substance use crisis?
Please call 988 to the reach Suicide & Crisis Lifeline and speak with a trained crisis specialist 24/7. Visit 988indiana.org.
- What is the difference between the bereavement kits The Milk Bank provides and the Lactation After Loss kits the IDOH supplies?
The IDOH and The Milk Bank (TMB) are working together to raise awareness about lactation after loss. The bereavement kits TMB provides complement the Lactation After Loss kits from IDOH. TMB kit offers literature, milk storage bags, information on donating mom’s milk, and bereavement support, while the Lactation After Loss kits from IDOH offer breast pumps, flanges, grief literature, and options to consider when deciding what to do about milk supply.
To request a Lactation After Loss kit from IDOH, please email IDOHFIMR@health.in.gov to connect with us.
You can request a bereavement kit from The Milk Bank here.
- Where can I get bereavement training?
You can email IDOHFIMR@health.in.gov and we will connect you to local or national resources that provide bereavement training for providers. One national resource is Resolve Through Sharing (RTS). You can find more information about their training opportunities here.
Or contact Emily Twarogal, Lactation After Loss Program Coordinator
Would you like to join the Indiana Department of Health’s Provider Bereavement Network?
Providers who support families experiencing loss (miscarriage, stillbirth, neonatal loss, infant death) are invited to join the IDOH Bereavement Network. This network provides a space where bereavement providers can connect, share and learn from one another. By being a part of this network, you will receive trainings, share resources, discuss challenges and brainstorm solutions. Most importantly, you will collaborate with other providers to effect positive change in the area of bereavement care. We look forward to learning from your expertise. Come join the IDOH Bereavement Network! Email IDOHgrief@health.in.gov.
Contact
Or contact Emily Twarogal, Lactation after Loss Program Coordinator
