What Is a Lactation Consultant and How Do I Find One?

Breastfeeding, most new moms think, should come naturally. After all, that’s what breasts are for, right? But breastfeeding doesn’t always come easily for new moms, especially if they’ve never been around other moms who’ve breastfed. New moms may wonder, “What is a lactation consultant and how do I find one?”
photo credit: EraPhernaliaVintage

You’re in luck! Lactation consultants aren’t elusive; in fact, they want to be found. How do you find one? Actually, there are a number of avenues you may want to consider when trying to find a qualified lactation consultant:

1. Ask your obstetrician/gynecologist or midwife if they know of any lactation consultants. If your OB/GYN is a female, she may be able to recommend someone she’s used personally.

2. Read the flyers in your doctor’s office. There may be a flyer explaining about lactation consultants and how to contact them in your area. Of course, if you live in a smaller community, you may find them in a larger city near you.

3. Child birth educators quite often have a list of available lactation consultants. They will either pass out these lists during a child birth class or make them available to class participants at the end of your classes.

4. Ask around at the hospital where you plan to deliver if they can recommend a lactation consultant. Some hospitals even have a lactation consultant on staff.

5. Call local pediatricians’ offices to see if they can refer anyone or what their recommendations are for women wanting to breastfeed.

6. Look in your telephone book to see if there’s a lactation consultant near you. Quite often they are hired by hospitals first and then start working out of their homes.

7. Check the phone book for a La Leche League group near you. Larger cities generally have La Leche chapters so you can get information about which chapters are in your area by calling the national office. Hospitals, OB/GYN, and pediatricians should have access to their toll-free number. La Leche League leaders are breastfeeding mothers who volunteer their time to help other women. Lactation Consultants, on the other hand, are not always experienced breastfeeding women. Some of them are men! In addition, La Leche League leaders give their assistance without charge.

8. Search for lactation consultants on the internet. You may want to search using “lactation consultants (your city and state)” as the search term. If there are lactation consultants to be found in your area, a search engine will be sure to find them.

9. Strike up a conversation when you’re around other moms. This could be while you’re waiting in the doctor’s office, you’re grocery shopping, or if you attend worship services. If you know a mom who has breastfed they may have a name and number they can give you.

Most pediatricians are coming to the realization that breastfeeding is the best way for you to feed your newborn. If they can’t recommend a lactation consultant, don’t despair. You can use any of these ideas to find a lactation consultant to answer any questions you may have, encourage you, and help you to be a successful breastfeeding mom.