At the NIH, we care about the health and wellbeing of our employees. We know that returning to work after having a baby can be difficult, especially for women who choose to breastfeed. We want to provide the worksite assistance needed for you and your baby to remain happy and healthy. The Nursing Mothers Program provides services for future and current nursing mothers that have concerns about breastfeeding. The program provides the emotional support and worksite assistance nursing mothers need to make the return to work less stressful.

Select one of the links below for more information:

• Program Services
• Registration
• Lactation Room Locations
• Lactation Room Guidelines
• Prenatal Breastfeeding Education Classes
• Lactation Consultants
• 2024 NMP-Brochure.pdf
• Final Guidelines for Lactation Room Users During COVID-19 (PDF)

Program Services

The Nursing Mothers Program provides:

• Prenatal breastfeeding education classes entitled "Breastfeeding and Return to Work" and "How to Get Started with Breastfeeding?" which are taught on the NIH campus. The ideal time to attend the class is during the third trimester of your pregnancy. Read more about our classes and schedule.
  

• Onsite lactation rooms in NIH buildings (located on and off the NIH Main Campus). Most rooms are equipped with a breast pump. Read more about our lactation rooms and locations.
  

You must be enrolled in the Nursing Mothers Program in order to take advantage of these services. Send an email with a NIH Nursing Mothers Program Registration Form (PDF) to our Lactation Consultant, Jane Balkam. There is no charge for any of these services, although you will have to purchase a kit to connect to a lactation room breast pump. Visitors can also use an onsite lactation room. Please complete and submit the Visitors Nursing Mothers Room Request Form (PDF) to our Program Assistant, Lisa Simon as soon as possible so that we may accommodate you.

back to top

Registration

• NIH Nursing Mothers Program Registration Form (PDF)
• Visitors Nursing Mothers Room Request Form (PDF)
  

back to top

Lactation Room Locations

A lactation room may be used by NIH employees, contractors and visitors. You must register with the Nursing Mothers Program to use the room on an ongoing basis. Contact the Lactation Consultants to schedule a time to use a lactation room during the workday to minimize the disruption of your daily work routine. Please read the Lactation Room Guidelines before using a room. It is necessary to register for the Nursing Mothers Program to use a lactation room. Most of the lactation rooms are equipped with Medela Symphony breast pumps. Use of the breast pumps is free, however you need to purchase a kit.

On Campus Lactation Rooms*

• Building 1, Room B2E-39 (2 Stations)
• Building 4, Room 439
• Building 10, Room 2N234B through 13N234B
• Building 10/CRC, Room 3-4681 (2 Stations)
• Building 29B, Room 1E11 (2 Stations)
• Building 31, Room B2-B39 (2 Stations)
• Building 31, Room 2A32
• Building 30, Room 206
• Building 33, Room BN15
• Building 35, Porter NRC, Room 1D901, 2D901 and 3D90 
• Building 37, Room 2026A, Room 3026A, Room 4026A, Room 5026A, Room 6062A
• Building 38 (Being Renovated)
• Building 45, Room 6AN.16 (2 Stations)
• Building 49, Room 1A63 (2 Stations)
• Building 50, Room B215 (2 Stations)
• Building T 40, Room 102 (2 Stations)

Off-Site Lactation Rooms*

• Bayview Research Center, Room 1A002
• Bayview Research Center, Room 3C013A
• Frederick Campus - Building 426, Room 123
• Frederick Campus - Building 459, Room 118
• Frederick Campus - Building 535, Room 105
• Frederick Campus - Building 538, Room 136
  
• Frederick Campus - Building 560, Room 12-92A
• Frederick Campus - VCMP Building, Room 331A
• Frederick Campus - 8200 Research Plaza, Room 1A127 (2 Stations)
• Frederick Campus - ATRF Building, Room E2707 and E3705
• Frederick Campus - NCI Building 549, Room 26 (2 Stations)
• Democracy II, Room 105M (2 Stations)
• Rockledge I, 6705 Rockledge Drive, Room 520-D (2 Stations)
• Rockledge II, 6701 Rockledge Drive, Room 200-D (2 Stations)
• 5625 Fisher's Lane, Room 1N17 (2 Stations)
  
• 5601 Fisher's Lane, Rooms 2A7 and 6A7
• 6001 Executive Boulevard Room 1281A and 1281B
• 6700B Rockledge Drive, Rooms 1150N and 1153N
• 6710B Rockledge Drive, Room 3320
  
• 6555 Rock Spring Drive, Room 3E06
• 9800 Medical Center Drive, Building B, Room 380
• Rocky Mountain Laboratories, Building 3, Room 3315 
• Rocky Mountain Laboratories, IRF, Building 28, Room 1A181A
• 3 White Flint North, Room 03A01

back to top

Lactation Room Guidelines

back to top

Prenatal Breastfeeding Education Classes 

Free prenatal breastfeeding education classes are open to all women working at NIH who have registered for the Nursing Mothers Program. The classes are designed to complement the classes offered by your hospital or childbirth educator. The series consists of two classes: "Breastfeeding and Return to Work" and "How to Get Started with Breastfeeding?" The classes are offered at the locations, dates and times listed below.

Breastfeeding and Return to Work

How to Get Started with Breastfeeding?

2024 Class Schedule

All classes are conducted virtually via WebEx or Teams. Please indicate in the comments section of your registration form (PDF) the class and date you would like to attend.  Upon receipt of your registration form, details will be emailed to you with a meeting invitation.  If you have any questions please contact the Nursing Mothers Program Lactation consultants at (301) 435-7850 or email Jane Balkam at balkamj@od.nih.gov.

back to top

Lactation Consultants

Jane J. Balkam, PhD, APRN, CPNP, IBCLC, a local Board Certified Lactation Consultant who specializes in worksite lactation programs, administers the lactation services. Dr. Balkam is a pediatric nurse practitioner and certified Lactation Consultant who has been managing worksite lactation programs in the Washington, DC area for over 26 years. In 2006, she received her PhD with a focus on Maternal-Child Health/Breastfeeding and Human Lactation. She can be reached at (301) 435-7850 or email at  balkamj@od.nih.gov.

Eileen Mood, MSN, CPNP, IBCLC is a board-certified Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and international board certified Lactation Consultant who has joined the Nursing Mothers Program staff.  She has over 23 years of experience as a pediatric nurse practitioner and 15 years of experience as a Lactation Consultant. She can be reached at 301 435-7850 or  eileen.mood@nih.gov. 

Lisa J. Simon, is the Nursing Mothers Program Assistant and has been providing support to the program for over 16 years. She can be reached at (301) 435-7850 or email at simonlj@mail.nih.gov.

back to top