Why See a Lactation Counselor?

“Breastfeeding is natural!”

“Just pop the baby on!”

“Breast is best!”

Breastmilk is the right food for growing and developing babies. Together, mom and baby make immune factors to stay healthy in spite of exposures. Enzymes and microbiota transfer to help baby set up a robust digestive system, while hormones regulate sleep and growth. By providing human milk, a baby is getting the best possible start for their neurological and physical development. And the highlight is the price, it's hard to beat free!

But getting that milk to baby isn’t always so simple.  Many common interventions can impact hormonal and physical changes needed to breastfeed successfully. While this is normal and can be anticipated, wor

d often doesn’t get to families until after they’re dealing with the fallout. And sometimes, even if everything goes perfectly, mom and baby may need some help getting to know each other and learning the process of chestfeeding.

A Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC) is trained and tested on the entire lactation timeline, from the initial development of breast tissue during puberty all the way to weaning your last baby. Does your latch feel uncomfortable or does baby seem less excited or engaged?  You’ve tried a few times, but nothing comes out when you pump? Maybe you aren’t sure what’s wrong but you know something isn’t working?  Instead of asking Claude, spend some time with an attentive and caring lactation counselor. 

Lactation counselors (LC's) meet with families to discuss latch issues, supply concerns, bottle transitions, starting pumping, and many other situations that come up in the course of normal breastfeeding. An LC can help with simple changes, sometimes finding solutions during the appointment! Other concerns may take more time, so the LC will create a customized treatment plan complete with videos, photos, and other resources. Often, a follow up appointment is used to assess progress.

At an appointment, I get to know a patient by asking questions to better understand how breastfeeding works in their family and how I can make it as comfortable and effective as possible.  Instead of a generic print out meant to solve problems for as many people as possible, families leave with a customized plan that aligns with real life. I truly love this work and look forward to helping every family feel more confident in their own abilities and more connected to each other.

Reach out today to schedule a consultation. Nursing your baby doesn’t have to be hard and you are not doing this alone!

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