Preparing to feed your baby comes with a lot of choices, and one of the best things you can do is know where your support is before you need it.
Colorado families have access to some wonderful free breastfeeding and pumping resources, including lactation education, peer support, community groups, WIC services and breast pumps covered through many insurance plans.
Whether you’re planning to breastfeed, pump, combination feed or simply want to learn more about your options, here are some great places to start.
Get a Breast Pump Through Your Insurance
One of the easiest resources to take advantage of during pregnancy is your insurance-covered breast pump.
Many health insurance plans include breastfeeding support and breast pump coverage. Your specific options depend on your insurance plan, but you may be able to choose from several electric, manual or wearable pump options.
Before purchasing a pump yourself, check what your insurance already covers.
Aeroflow Breastpumps
Aeroflow Breastpumps is one of the easiest places to check your breast pump benefits online.
You enter your insurance information, and Aeroflow checks your eligibility and shows you the pumps available through your specific plan.
They can also help coordinate insurance requirements and work with your healthcare provider when a prescription is needed.
Depending on your insurance plan, you may see:
- Fully covered breast pumps
- Upgraded pump options
- Wearable pumps
- Pumping supplies
- Replacement parts
- Additional pregnancy and postpartum products that may be covered
Coverage varies by plan, so the pumps available to one family may look completely different from those available to another.
Tip: Check your options during pregnancy so you have plenty of time to compare pumps and choose one that works well for your lifestyle.
1 Natural Way
1 Natural Way is another medical supply company that helps families receive breast pumps through insurance.
You can enter your insurance information online, see what you’re eligible for and compare available pumps.
1 Natural Way works with many major insurance providers and handles much of the insurance verification and paperwork for you.
Depending on your plan, you may have access to:
- Double electric pumps
- Wearable pumps
- Popular breast pump brands
- Replacement pump parts
- Additional pumping supplies
Some pumps are fully covered while premium or upgraded models may have an additional cost.
It can actually be helpful to check both Aeroflow and 1 Natural Way because the pumps available may vary based on the supplier and your individual insurance plan.
Health First Colorado Breast Pump Coverage
If you have Health First Colorado, Colorado’s Medicaid program, you may also qualify for a covered breast pump.
Health First Colorado includes breast pumps as part of its maternity-related benefits.
Your OB, midwife or other pregnancy care provider can help you with the prescription or documentation needed for your pump.
A simple question to ask at a prenatal appointment is:
“Can you help me order my breast pump through Health First Colorado?”
You can also contact Health First Colorado or your health plan to find out which medical equipment suppliers you can use.
And if you’re enrolled in WIC, your local WIC office is another excellent place to ask about pump options.
Colorado WIC Breastfeeding Support
Colorado WIC offers much more than nutrition benefits.
WIC families can also receive breastfeeding education and support throughout pregnancy and postpartum.
Depending on your local program, that may include:
- Prenatal breastfeeding education
- Breastfeeding counseling
- Pumping education
- Help choosing and using a breast pump
- Breast pumps for eligible participants
- Milk storage education
- Breastfeeding peer counselors
- Referrals for additional lactation care
You can connect with WIC during pregnancy, which makes it a great resource to establish before baby arrives.
WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselors
One of my favorite parts of WIC’s breastfeeding program is its Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program.
Peer counselors are parents with breastfeeding experience who receive additional training to support other families.
They’re a great resource for everyday questions about things like:
- Getting breastfeeding started
- Feeding cues
- Breastfeeding positions
- Pumping
- Milk storage
- Returning to work or school
- Combining pumping and breastfeeding
- Navigating different stages of your feeding journey
Some Colorado programs also offer phone and text support, making it easier to get encouragement without having to schedule another appointment.
Free Breastfeeding Support Groups
Sometimes the best support is simply being around other parents who are figuring things out right alongside you.
Colorado has a number of free breastfeeding and new-parent groups where you can ask questions, connect with lactation professionals and meet other families.
UCHealth Breastfeeding Support
UCHealth offers breastfeeding support resources at several Colorado locations.
Depending on the location, you may find breastfeeding groups, lactation professionals and virtual or in-person support.
If you delivered through UCHealth, it’s worth asking what postpartum breastfeeding resources are available through your specific hospital.
Denver Health Lactation Support
If you receive care through Denver Health, you may also have access to breastfeeding and lactation services after birth.
Denver Health Lactation Services offers breastfeeding education and lactation support for Denver Health families.
If you delivered there, ask your care team about follow-up lactation appointments and breastfeeding groups before you leave the hospital.
Lutheran Hospital Breastfeeding & Lactation Support
If you’re planning to deliver at Intermountain Health Lutheran Hospital in Wheat Ridge, you also have breastfeeding and lactation support available through the hospital.
Lutheran Hospital offers lactation support seven days a week with board-certified lactation consultants, along with one-on-one breastfeeding education and support during your hospital stay.
This means you can ask for help while you’re still in the hospital with things like:
- Breastfeeding positions
- Getting comfortable with latch
- Learning your baby’s feeding cues
- Pumping and hand expression
- Understanding early milk production
- Creating a feeding plan that works for you and your baby
Before you leave the hospital, I recommend asking your nurse or lactation consultant what follow-up lactation resources are available to you once you’re home.
Intermountain Health also offers both in-person and virtual appointments with board-certified lactation consultants, so families can continue receiving individualized feeding support after leaving the hospital.
Free Breastfeeding Support Groups Through Intermountain Health
Intermountain Health also offers a free weekly breastfeeding/chestfeeding support group for parents who want additional education, reassurance and community after baby arrives. Registration is required because group size may be limited.
These groups can be a great option if you’d like to:
- Have your feeding questions answered
- Learn alongside other new parents
- Talk through pumping or breastfeeding changes
- Get additional encouragement as you and your baby learn together
- Find out whether an individual lactation appointment might be helpful
If you’re delivering at Lutheran, ask about these resources before you go home so you already know where to turn if questions come up later.
You can also visit the Lutheran Hospital Pregnancy & Baby page or the Intermountain Health Breastfeeding Support page for current lactation services and appointment options.
Parent Vortex tip: Put the lactation contact information for your hospital in your phone during pregnancy. You may never need it, but having your support options already saved makes it much easier to reach out when you have a quick feeding or pumping question.
La Leche League
La Leche League is another wonderful option for free breastfeeding education and community support.
La Leche League groups are led by trained volunteer Leaders who have personal breastfeeding experience and additional breastfeeding education.
Meetings are a welcoming place to learn about:
- Breastfeeding your newborn
- Pumping
- Returning to work
- Nursing older babies
- Milk supply
- Weaning
- Feeding through different stages
- Everyday breastfeeding questions
You don’t need to wait until you have a specific concern to attend.
Joining while you’re pregnant can also be a great way to start building your postpartum support system early.
Check Your Hospital’s Lactation Resources
Your birth hospital may have more free resources than you realize.
Before your baby arrives, ask:
- Does the hospital have an outpatient lactation clinic?
- Are follow-up lactation visits included after delivery?
- Do you offer breastfeeding support groups?
- Is there a lactation warmline I can call?
- Are virtual lactation appointments available?
- Do you provide help with breast pump setup?
Save the phone number in your phone while you’re pregnant.
It’s one less thing you’ll have to search for while holding a newborn.
Call or Search 2-1-1 Colorado
If you’re looking for resources close to home, 2-1-1 Colorado is another great place to search.
Their community resource database can help connect Colorado families with local programs.
Try searching for:
- Breastfeeding support
- Lactation support
- Breast pumps
- WIC
- New parent support
- Postpartum support
This can be especially useful if you live outside of the Denver Metro area.
Your County Public Health Department
Don’t forget about your local public health department.
Many Colorado counties provide maternal and infant health programs, WIC services, breastfeeding education, home-visiting programs and other support for new families.
Searching:
“[Your county] breastfeeding support”
or
“[Your county] WIC”
can bring up resources located right in your community.
Build Your Feeding Support Team During Pregnancy
You don’t have to know exactly how feeding will look before your baby arrives.
You can simply give yourself options.
During pregnancy, consider:
- Checking your breast pump coverage through Aeroflow Breastpumps.
- Comparing your options through 1 Natural Way.
- Applying for Colorado WIC if you may qualify.
- Saving your hospital’s lactation contact information.
- Finding a local breastfeeding or new-parent group.
- Asking your insurance what lactation visits are included in your benefits.
- Learning the basics of breastfeeding and pumping before baby arrives.
A little preparation can make those first weeks feel much more supported.
Feeding Support Can Look Different for Every Family
Breastfeeding doesn’t have to fit into one specific picture.
Some families exclusively breastfeed.
Some primarily pump.
Some breastfeed and offer bottles.
Some combination feed.
Some feeding plans change completely once baby arrives.
All of those families deserve good information and support.
At Parent Vortex, my goal is to help parents understand their options so they can make feeding decisions that feel comfortable and sustainable for their family.
As a Certified Lactation Educator and birth and postpartum doula, I can help with breastfeeding and pumping education, positioning, feeding cues, milk production basics, bottle and combination feeding, newborn feeding rhythms and knowing when another lactation or medical professional may be helpful.
Looking for More Free Pregnancy and Postpartum Resources in Colorado?
Explore the Parent Vortex Colorado Resource Hub for more information about pregnancy Medicaid, doula coverage, WIC, community programs and other resources available to Colorado families.
Save this guide for later or send it to a pregnant friend — knowing where your support is ahead of time can make all the difference.
Let me know your thoughts!