Breast or chest feeding is a natural way of feeding your baby. That doesn’t mean though that it comes all that “naturally” to us — it is a learned skill. And in the U.S. it’s very common for someone to decide to breastfeed having never actually seen it done before.

So what is the best way to prepare?

First a little background. There are a couple of letters you might want to make note of: IBCLC – International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. This is the highest level of lactation certification and requires at least 90 hours of lactation specific education (in addition to other health sciences) and 1000 hours of clinical experience with approved supervision. It is no small task to undertake either as all requirements must be completed within 5 years! Many nurses do have some training in lactation, but it is not the same as an IBCLC.

The best way to ensure that breastfeeding will be successful is to start off on the right track. This is much easier than giving it a shot and then troubleshooting problems later. An initial consultation is an excellent investment in what may become a multi-year relationship you’ll have with breastfeeding.

Waiting until you have a problem is not the best time to see an IBCLC — the best time is right from the beginning!

There are several good IBCLCs in the area. Some work at the hospital, while others are independent. Some have offices you go to, others do in-home or in-hospital visits — some do both! Some insurance companies will even cover the costs. You can find some of them listed on the Resources page.

We are proud to partner with Katie Olson, RN, IBCLC, at MomMe Wellness .

Investing in this initial visit may mean things get started so well, it will be the only one you need!

Start by visiting this site to see if your insurance covers Lactation Support. Use Katie’s name or the name of her company.

Contact me with any questions!