Press Date: 07/14/2010

Columbus, OH - The Women's Center Boutique at Riverside Methodist Hospital has been recognized nationally as one of 53 Certified Nursing Centers for offering moms a comprehensive breastfeeding program and product assortment. Medela, the world's leader in breastpump technology, human lactation research and breastfeeding accessories, certifies programs that offer moms a "one stop shop" for all their breastfeeding and educational needs.

The Women's Center Boutique, located inside the main hospital in the Riverside Methodist Women's Center, is home to convenient and comprehensive outpatient lactation consultation services, where all new moms, regardless of where they deliver, can get their questions answered and the help they need. The boutique offers clients a warm, personal atmosphere, where they can relax with tea, shop for state-of-the-art breastfeeding accessories, pumps and nursing bras or rent a pump from one of the largest rental stations in the U.S. Certified bra fitters and accessory experts offer retail and rental services individualized to meet each mom's specific needs.

"We're committed to quality, full service and community access," said Whitney Mirvis, BSN, RN, IBCLC, lead lactation education specialist at Riverside Methodist. "Anyone is welcome to use our breastfeeding area and free baby weigh station. All moms can also attend a no fee, no registration breast feeding mothers support group or contact one of our certified lactation consultants."

Riverside Methodist is the only hospital in the region to offer a free breastfeeding moms support group, open to all nursing moms. It meets Thursdays 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. and every second and fourth Tuesday 6 to 7 p.m.

Lactation consultants are available in person or by phone for moms to discuss any breastfeeding concerns. In person consultations are available 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the helpline is available Monday through Friday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with urgent calls taken on weekends. Both can be reached by calling (614) 566-5353.

"The Women's Boutique at Riverside is a model for rental and retail accounts with a wide product assortment, as well as in-store lactation consultations, allowing moms to receive continual breastfeeding support," said Carolin Archibald, vice president of professional business sales and marketing for Medela. "We're thrilled to honor their commitment to breastfeeding and will continue to help them provide Columbus-area moms with the education, service and products they need."

Riverside Women's Health Services

Riverside Methodist Hospital is a leader in maternity care, which is why more than 6,500 babies were born at Riverside Methodist last year. As a Level III maternity center, Riverside Methodist's experienced team of physicians and nurses cares for any woman - regardless of risk level - during pregnancy and during and after delivery. Riverside Methodist's comprehensive offerings include Maternal-Fetal Medicine at Riverside for expectant mothers with high-risk pregnancies; a dedicated unit for women with high-risk pregnancies who need to be hospitalized; private home-like birthing suites; state-of-the-art technology; a Newborn Intensive Care Unit operated by Nationwide Children's Hospital; and outpatient lactation services, education and support for expectant and new parents at the Riverside Women's Center.

Riverside Methodist Hospital

Riverside Methodist Hospital, a member of OhioHealth, a nationally-recognized, not-for-profit charitable, healthcare organization serving and supported by the community that was named by FORTUNE Magazine as one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" in 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010. Based in Columbus, Ohio, OhioHealth is a family of 17 hospitals, 20 health and surgery centers, home-health providers, medical equipment and health service suppliers throughout a 40-county area. OhioHealth hospitals in central Ohio are Riverside Methodist Hospital, Grant Medical Center, Doctors Hospital, Grady Memorial Hospital and Dublin Methodist Hospital. For more information, please visit our website at www.OhioHealth.com.

Medela

Medela provides the most technologically advanced, superior-quality breastpumps and breastfeeding accessories to nursing mothers around the world.  A longtime champion of breastfeeding, Medela is the only company to develop products based on research by the world's leading lactation experts.  As a result, Medela's breastpumps are the number one choice of healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities worldwide, including 80 percent of U.S. hospitals. Medela has developed an extensive line of products to meet the diverse needs of nursing mothers.  These products include hospital-grade, double and single electric and manual breastpumps; breastfeeding accessories such as pump cleaning products, breast care products and specialty feeding devices; and maternity and nursing intimate apparel. Founded in 1961 by Olle Larsson in Zug, Switzerland, Medela continues to grow under the ownership of the Larsson family. Medela serves customers through a worldwide network of distribution partners in more than 90 countries and its 13 subsidiaries in the United States, Switzerland, Canada, Germany, Sweden, France, Benelux (Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg), Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, China and Spain. The company entered the United States more than 25 years ago; its U.S. headquarters are located in McHenry, Illinois.