How Can a Lactation Consultant
Help a First-Time Mother?
I love my job helping moms and their breastfeeding babies by providing empowering breastfeeding support. I am an IBCLC, an Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Why a Lactation Consultant?
For many thousands of years, there have been mothers, grandmothers, aunts,
and sisters that have helped a new mom and her baby work out any breastfeeding
problems that may arise. It is only in the last 75 years that our culture
in America has shifted dramatically to a bottle-feeding culture. In many
parts of the United States, we now have second, and sometimes third, generations
of new mothers who have no experienced women surrounding them who have
breastfed before. Our culture moves around a lot. We often do not live
near our mothers or families who can offer the support we need to succeed.
Many new mothers get bombarded with free formula samples, gifts, and promotional
formula advertising. As young men and women, we are not educated about
breastfeeding, and we are taught to ignore the fact that when it is time
to have a baby, the breasts were designed for feeding, too. We often give
birth in a hospital that may or may not have well-trained nurses or doctors
on staff who can help work through any breastfeeding difficulties that
may arise. This is where a Board Certified Lactation Consultant can help.
Some hospitals have IBCLCs on staff to help with the first 48 hours, but
often as the mom and baby arrive home, the medications of labor have all
worn off and fatigue and hunger set in. This is often the time when a
Lactation Consultant can be most helpful.
What Does a Lactation Consultant Do?
Lactation Consultants work in a variety of settings — hospitals,
physician’s offices, birth centers, home care agencies, health agencies
such as WIC, and in private practice. A Lactation Consultant can help
with basic breastfeeding education and encouragement, latch-on problems,
sore nipple or engorgement problems, infant weight loss issues or low
milk supply issues, and any back-to-work concerns that may arise. Breastfeeding
is something all women and all babies were designed to do. Once the baby
is born, all females go into breastmilk production mode. The first two
weeks are the most critical time for each new mom and her baby to establish
breastfeeding. To create a plentiful supply of breastmilk, babies need
to nurse effectively 8 to 12 times every 24 hours from the beginning of
life. Breastfeeding is a learned skill — for both mom and baby.
It takes fine motor skills, gross motor skills, time and patience. Plus,
even though you may have read all the books, the baby didn’t!
With the support of Lactation Consultants, breastfeeding-friendly hospitals, pediatricians, La Leche League, Nursing Mother Support Groups and the positive support of family, more and more women in the United States are breastfeeding. Women of every race, religion, and ethnic background are breastfeeding their babies and breastfeeding them longer. Believe it or not, women in most all countries, except the United States, breastfeed their babies not only months, but for years! The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends infants breastfeed (or receive breastmilk) in their first year of life and beyond. The World Health Organization recommends babies breastfeed two to four years. In our country, if you want to breastfeed and provide the best nutrition for your child, a Lactation Consultant is a great resource for you.
A lactation consultation with an IBCLC usually includes birth and breastfeeding history, observation of the breastfeeding pair, assessment of the feeding situation, development of a plan of care, and letters to the primary care provider and birth attendant to keep all care providers informed of the mother/baby status and follow up contact as needed.
Where Can I Find a Lactation Consultant?
To find an IBCLC, you can get information from the hospital, pediatrician,
local nursing mother support group, or on the web (click
here to search for lactation consultants on the Expectant
Mother's Guide). There are professional organizations that identify
IBCLCs, such as the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.