- Jan 12, 2024
- 2 min read
First, let me start with a personal story.
When I was pregnant with my first, I wasn't an IBCLC yet, but I was a Labor, Delivery, and Maternity nurse and felt I had as much education on breastfeeding that I needed to succeed. I knew all about latching and positioning. I had wonderful support in the hospital from experienced nurses and IBCLC's. I participated in the "Golden Hour", practiced rooming-in, had tons of skin to skin contact, fed eight or more in 24 hours, and was prepared for the second night syndrome. What could I be missing?
I was missing continued lactation support at home.
I had never paired up with an IBCLC prior to delivering. I had absolutely no idea what to experience those first few weeks at home while breastfeeding my newborn. I was completely unraveled and lost. So what did I do? I Google'd a lactation consultant near me.
For me, this worked out well. She was absolutely amazing (aren't we all). We had a few sessions, my nips felt better and my son was gaining his weight. We even reconnected further down the road when I experienced a dip in supply. Things worked out well and I was pleasantly happy with our time together.
What did I do differently my second pregnancy? After researching the local practitioners around me, I linked up with an IBCLC while I was still pregnant. We scheduled a prenatal education consult at 35 weeks and really hit it off. We chatted about things I already had knowledge on, but also dived in deeper with some issues and concerns personalized to my history. I felt much more confident and determined to have a successful breastfeeding experience.
Prenatal Breastfeeding education has been shown to increase maternal outlook towards breastfeeding, which can increase breastfeeding initiation and lengthen the duration of breastfeeding during each pregnancy. There is a strong connection between prenatal education and an increase in breastfeeding post birth (Jennifer Kehinde et al. Midwifery. 2023 Mar.).
I find it even better to connect with an IBCLC offering prenatal education. This allows you to find someone who resonates with you. So much focus is placed on finding the right obstetric practice to deliver with and what type of labor support and education classes to attend, but this emphasis should also go into your breastfeeding journey as well.
Does this IBCLC have experience with my concerns, ie. tongue ties, multiples, relactation, engorgement, etc.?
Does she have availability around your due date, including evenings and weekends? Some practitioners take off during summer months.
Does she support women who exclusively want to pump and bottle feed?
Can she make home visits, including Telehealth consults or is she strictly office based?
Wherever and whenever your breastfeeding journey begins, know that a Lactation Consultant can be there for when you need the help and support. We are all unique and offer our own approach but with the same thing in mind, to help you to be successful with your breastfeeding journey. You've got this and we believe in you!
Kehinde, J., O'Donnell, C., & Grealish, A. (2023). The effectiveness of prenatal breastfeeding education on breastfeeding uptake postpartum: A systematic review. Midwifery, 118, 103579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.midw.2022.103579