Spotlight on Lactation Consultants: What They Can Do for You

You’re just home from the hospital, running on little sleep and even less confidence because baby isn’t latching even though it seemed okay in the hospital, its painful when they try to feed, you’re not sure if you are making enough milk or too much milk and your breasts hurt like hell! You’re worried you’ll never figure out this whole breastfeeding business, and now you can’t stop crying and you are not sure who you know that can take a good look at the situation and help!  Here’s where a lactation consultant can really feel like a lifesaver.

One person can be the difference between a new mom at the end of her rope, and a new mom who feels like she has tools to help her over breastfeeding’s bigger hurdles.

So, what is a lactation consultant exactly? They’re experts when it comes to the breastfeeding experience, certified through the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). Before getting their certification (an exam they have to retake every 10 years), they must complete anywhere between 300 and 1,000 hours of lactation specific clinical experience in addition to a whole host of other requirements.

We mention all this because, as opposed to your doctor or your nurses, lactation consultants are exclusively focused on your breastfeeding experience. Having one on speed dial after delivery can be especially important if you don’t feel like you’re getting the help you need at the hospital. In fact, whether your hospital has LCs on staff or not, we believe you might want to consider finding one you really like before going into labor and having them come and visit you in the hospital or right when you get home. Even if things seem like they are going smoothly, you are bound to have questions and they may spot a few things that will cause difficulties down the road and allow you to avoid them.   Besides, if it’s not going well, knowing you have an expert coming to help just you, is just the motivation you might need to keep going.

Our recommendation when it comes to lactation consultants: find one whose personality and philosophy you like in advance of your due date. Some lactation consultants are very firm in their philosophy that breastfeeding exclusively is best. Others take a more flexible approach. Ask yourself which is right for you, and look for someone you have a good rapport with. After baby, your hormones will be all over the place and you may (understandably) be quite emotional about breastfeeding. Feeling good about your lactation consultant—and having them available when you really need them—is such a great way to relieve anxiety.

It’s almost as much about peace of mind as it is about getting the tools you need to make the experience as smooth as possible. Rosie always tells people that even when breastfeeding is going great, there’s no harm in seeing a lactation consultant before leaving the hospital just in case you are beginning bad habits that may make things difficult in a few hours or days. You won’t regret it if you do, but you may regret it if you don’t!

Finding a good lactation consultant is one of our “rules” for a better breastfeeding experience. Want more? You can find them all here.  And please share the love, if you have had a wonderful experience with a Lactation Consultant let us and our community know.