When to call a lactation consultant (IBCLC)

In 2016, when I had my first daughter, I actually had no idea that lactation consultants were much of a thing, much less that they could come to your house.  When she was 7 days old and breastfeeding felt like shards of glass coming through my nipples, my doula knew exactly who to call. Fortunately for us, our IBCLC helped guide us and save our breastfeeding journey. I was able to breastfeed her until she was 2 years old.

Fast forward to 2021, I started my own IBCLC journey so that I could provide the same support that we once received. One of things I discovered is that I was seeing moms just like me, who didn’t know when or who to call. So, that’s why I created this list that I share with all of my prenatal breastfeeding class clients and decided it’s time I share it with you, too!

9 times you should definitely call an IBCLC

In my opinion, one of the best times to call an IBCLC is when you’re still pregnant! YES, we can help you with breastfeeding while you are pregnant! In my class that I offer monthly, I go over many of the basic tools to help you get breastfeeding off to a great start. And if it’s not going well, you know when to call! I also love showing moms how to hand express so that once your baby is born, if you need that tool, you know how and when to use it! 

Once your baby is born, ideally, we don’t want them to lose more than 10% of their birth weight. If they are getting close or lose more than that, please call an IBCLC. Let’s troubleshoot and figure out what’s going on. 

Your baby should be back to birth weight by 2 weeks of age. If not, we should figure out why. Is it because they are not able to transfer milk efficiently? Is it because mom’s milk supply is low? Let’s get to the root cause. 

If you are having nipple pain or damage from your baby’s latch, please call an IBCLC. This was actually part of my story. I left the hospital with cracked and bleeding nipples despite seeing someone from lactation for 4 days in a row. Pain is common, not normal! Please get help!

If someone (nurse, midwife, friend, etc) says your baby needs a nipple shield to latch, please get help! First, why does your baby need a nipple shield? Second, a nipple shield is a temporary tool and should be used carefully with the guidance and support from a lactation consultant. I have been able to help many mother’s stop using the nipple shield and latch with comfort and peace. 

“There’s an app for that!” Track all pee and poop diapers for the first few weeks. If your baby is not peeing and pooping multiple times a day, please see a lactation consultant to help make sure your baby is getting enough milk at the breast. 

Have you been told that your baby needs a bottle? Have you started pumping? If you answered YES to either or both of those questions, it’s ok to get support from an IBCLC. We can investigate why your baby needs a bottle so soon and make sure pumping is going well for you! *SPOILER* If I see you for a lactation consult, I will measure your flange size and most likely change it!

This is a controversial one… you’ve been told your baby has a tongue tie! Not all IBCLC’s are created equal and have the same training. Due to my personal experiences with tongue ties, I have sought out additional training to be able to help assess for ties and guide you to best provider to help diagnose and treat, if needed. 

Lastly, if you just need a confidence boost because, let’s face it, as new moms, we get in our head and just want to make sure that things are going well. I can totally relate, even with 3 kids! You can certainly call an IBCLC just to double check your baby’s latch and have a weighted feed. 

These 9 times on when to call an IBCLC (lactation consultant) are definitely not the end all, be all. If you have questions, it’s always best to reach out right away in case it may take a couple of days to get on the schedule and see your local lactation consultant. Please know that an IBCLC can be a great resource and I am so very thankful for our IBCLC. If you would like to schedule a virtual or in person lactation consult, feel free to check my calendar out here!