What are Lactation Consultants, Specialists, and Educators?
Lactation Consultants are International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (or IBCLC) and are the recognized professional authority in lactation care. They give breast/chestfeeding education, counseling, support, advice, and clinical and hands-on care to parents and their babies during pregnancy, birth and throughout the breast/chestfeeding relationship. They are clinically trained to help manage the normal and not-normal breast/chestfeeding situations and challenges that may arise. There are both private practice and in-hospital Lactation Consultants that offer a variety of services.
Lactation Specialists (and Educators and Counselors) are specialists who have gone through basic training, and can give breast/chestfeeding education, counseling and support to parents and their families during pregnancy, birth, and throughout the breast/chestfeeding relationship. They are trained to help parents through normal breast/chestfeeding situations.
Why do I need Breast/chestfeeding support?
- Parents are more successful meeting their breastfeeding goals when they have support among their families, community, and professionals.
- Lactation Specialists and Consultants often offer prenatal education and support for expectant families.
- Lactation Specialists and Consultants can help parents find answers to questions regarding what is normal in the breast/chestfeeding relationship.
- Many Lactation providers offer free support groups for parents and their babies.
- Lactation Consultants can help parents when more serious challenges arise, such as sore nipples, infections, tongue tie, low supply, over supply, etc.
- Lactation Consultants and some Specialists work with the parent and baby’s care providers for more complete and evidenced-based care.