#ibclc

My PP experience in the hospital was horrible partly because the Mother-Baby Nurses just didn’t seem to give AF. I follow a couple on IG and seeing how they spoil their patients and are attentive to them lights up my soul.

I want to be that person. I want to bring you a mama mocktail and get you a bag full of everything you need before you even realize you need it. I’ll ask you if you want help learning to use your pump (if you have one). I’ll ask you your goals for the day and I’ll make sure we do it (ie taking a shower, which I was too scared to do after my C-section in the hospital).

I’m going to buy a workbook or something for the maths that I’ll need to know when I start the program. That’s my biggest mental hurdle - just telling myself I CAN do advanced math and I am smart enough for it.

Kevin is supportive of me and I want to cry because my dad told my mom she was stupid for wanting to go back to school … he ended up being the short sighted one. She should’ve gotten that degree. And I won’t make the same mistake. Even if I become a nurse at 35, that could be a wonderful 35 year career.

👇 Tips to prepare yourself prenatally! 👇

🤱 Take a childbirth education class that's *taught by a Lactation Consultant* and/or take a prenatal breastfeeding class. The Evidence Based Birth® Childbirth Classes include lots of helpful information about newborn care and breastfeeding. This one also happens to be taught by an experienced Lactation Consultant. 👏

🤱 Call your insurance company and ask about your coverage for a breast pump. Don't assume that the one they want to give you is a good one! Breast pumps vary greatly in quality and insurance companies love to provide cheap ones when they can. Ask a lactation professional for their recommendations and read reviews yourself. A breast pump that's been opened, even unused, is usually not returnable.

🤱 Ask your insurance company about reimbursement for in-home lactation consultations. Usually, you have to pay for this at the time of service and then file a claim to get reimbursed. Knowing your options before you're sleep-deprived and stressed is infinitely helpful!

🤱 Find a Lactation Consultant in your area who takes your insurance. Check out Zipmilk.org to search for qualified professionals near you. Work with them prenatally if possible, especially if you've had trouble breastfeeding in the past. 

🤱 Find a pediatrician's office that has a Lactation Consultant on staff! This is the BEST way to get lactation care quickly without paying an arm and a leg.

🤱 Find a Baby Friendly Hospital to give birth at. You're much more likely to succeed at breastfeeding if you give birth in a facility that's dedicated to breastfeeding support. Visit babyfriendlyusa.org to search for hospitals and birth centers that are certified.

From Lucy Ruddle IBCLC facebook page:

Rolling my eyes at the people who really believe my job as an IBCLC is to run around saying "no, no, we don't need formula. Lets just feed, feed, feed and watch this kid lose more weight! Breast is best hahaa!"

Painful feeds aside, the next two most common reasons people hire me are ending breastfeeding (usually a toddler) and dealing with slow weight gain.

Guess what my plan involves. Hint. It's NEVER "Just keep feeding!!"

My plan for slow weight gain will involve getting milk into the baby while we figure what is going on and get baby on track.

I'll also go through the baby's birth, medication given to mum, Mum's breast development, underlying medical or health conditions, watch a feed, carry out an oral assessment and make sure if I'm suggesting pumping that we have a plan mum feels is manageable.

My work as a Doula started six years ago, but my love for supporting birthing and postpartum families started nearly a decade before that with the births of my two youngest sisters. Since I was a teenager I have wanted to help new families, and when I discovered Doula work I never looked back. My practice has evolved over time. I started out as a birth Doula, but now I make my living almost entirely by doing postpartum work. I am one of the only Doulas in my community who offers overnight support to families, helping them get precious sleep, knowing that their infants are in experienced hands. Sleep deprivation can be a major component in postpartum mood and anxiety disorders, and I have seen many times how extra support can make a real impact.

My Doula training prepared me to support families, but left me lacking in the knowledge I needed to offer comprehensive breastfeeding support. For many of the families I work with I am the support person who truly gets to know them and their babies. On a number of occasions I have been asked to attend meetings with an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) to help speak to their journey and their struggles. If I were trained as an IBCLC myself I would be able to offer hands on, comprehensive breastfeeding support and work with families and their care provider to ensure that both the baby and nursing parent are thriving.

Becoming an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) is an involved process which includes 90 hours of specialized training, 45 hours of which will be obtained in a week long intensive hands on training, college level study in fourteen health science courses, five additional required Lactation specific courses, and 500 hours of directly supervised apprenticeship with a practicing IBCLC. You can see the full requirements here: https://iblce.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/pathway-3-mentorship/

This is a huge step forward in my career, and it will take a significant investment in terms of time and money to obtain it. Knowing that I will be able to better provide for my own family, while supporting so many families in my community, makes it all worth it.

@marikinanna - an IBCLC is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. They are the experts in breastfeeding. They have a lot of training and education, and basically if you have questions, are struggling, or need help with breastfeeding (baby, mom, both), these are the people you want to help you.

Amy Teutur and her brainwashed cult drive me absolutely nuts. She claims to support breastfeeding, but then belittles it at almost every turn. Going as far to come up with a phrase known as “formula deprivation” for babies who are not fed formula. For her information, and everyone else’s: a baby does not need formula to survive. A baby needs nutrients to survive, and it does not matter where that nutrition comes from when we’re preventing starvation. There is absolutely no such thing as “formula deprivation” nor “milk deprivation,” only “malnutrition,” or “nutrient-deprived.”

Here’s what is going on; post one:

Post two:

Comments on post two: