Think of your IBCLC as someone to continue to see throughout your feeding journey, if you have any questions or need reassurance.
We don't all have tribes of people to give us evidence-based advice, or people that have previously breastfed to give you support. For many of us, we are the first generation in our family that plans to feed human milk, for at least the last 60 years. That means we are all trying to figure it out either on our own or looking it up online from strangers, who may be giving you harmful advice.
Over the nursing journey you will encounter different stages of feeding, such as baby led weaning vs puree foods. If you have to return to work outside of the home, you might have new questions about your pump, or if your pump randomly stops pulling out as much milk. Do I have to make my own puree food? What is the easiest way to do baby led weaning? What kinds of food should they eat first?
Also, if your baby has never had a bottle before, and you need assistance with the transition from breast to bottle/combination feeding. Which bottle is most like the breast anyway? How do you elicit sucking?
Then at the end of the nursing journey you may have a lot of emotions and several questions, I'm here for that too! How do you wean after all? How do you tell your sweet baby no milk? Do you wait until they self-wean?
IBCLC's are not just for new moms or just for newborns. We are for every child consuming human milk and every family that has questions.
Crystel Corbin, RN, IBCLC
Latch