• Who can assist me with breastfeeding?
• How do I get breastfeeding off to a good start?
• When will my milk come in?
• I’m worried about not making enough milk for my baby. What can I do?
• Where can I get breastfeeding help?
• Where can I get a breast pump?
• What pump is right for me?
• What foods should I eat while breastfeeding?
• I have extra milk; what should I do with it?
• How do I find a breastfeeding support group?

IBCLC:  International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

An IBCLC is an internationally recognized credential in breastfeeding support. This credential is awarded only after an individual obtains extensive clinical experience with breastfeeding mothers, education credits in lactation and passes the lactation consultants’ examination provided by the International Board Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). IBCLCs work collaboratively with primary care providers to assure appropriate clinical and practical management of breastfeeding and lactation in order to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

http://iblce.org/

CBE:  Certified Breastfeeding Educator ™

A CBE™ is a breastfeeding advocate with an additional credential that validates their special knowledge and skills obtained through completing a comprehensive course. They are prepared to assist breastfeeding families with normal lactation and with common breastfeeding challenges. A CBE ™ is not qualified to represent herself as a lactation consultant.

http://www.lactation-consultant-services.com/certification.html

CLC: Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)

CLC certification means that a person has received training and competency verification from the ANCC (American Nurses Credential Center) in breastfeeding and human lactation support including assessing the latching and feeding process, providing corrective interventions, counseling mothers, understanding and applying knowledge of milk production in special circumstances and other commonly encountered situations. CLCs are members of the health care team who can provide knowledge and counseling about optimal and sub-optimal breastfeeding.

http://www.healthychildren.cc/index2B.htm

WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

A WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor is a support person who gives basic breastfeeding information and encouragement to WIC pregnant and breastfeeding mothers A WIC peer counselor has breastfed at least one baby and has taken a minimum of a 16-hour breastfeeding competency course.

http://health.springfieldmo.gov/index.aspx?NID=108

LLL Leader

A LLL leader is a mother who has breastfed her baby at least nine months whose purpose is to help other mothers learn to breastfeed their babies, to encourage good mothering through breastfeeding, and to promote a better understanding of breastfeeding and related subjects. .  Mother to mother support is provided one-on-one and at meetings. Leaders, who complete a comprehensive training program, offer guidance during discussion at meetings and by phone, email or facebook consultation. 

http://www.llli.org/

http://lllofspringfieldmo.wordpress.com/

For more information about the many different lactation assistant qualifications, visit the Massachusetts Breastfeeding Coalition site: http://massbreastfeeding.org/landscape/guide/  or for the PDF version:  http://massbreastfeeding.org/landscape/

Before baby arrives

A good place to start is by educating yourself, even before your baby arrives. New moms have found these to be helpful:

• Attend a breastfeeding class.
• Talk to other new moms about what has helped their breastfeeding experience.
• Scope out reliable online resources—check out our Professionals’ Picks page for a list of websites you can trust.

After baby arrives

Research has shown that moms with breastfeeding success started early, soon after baby was born. A baby’s first hours with his parents are particularly precious. Spending this time skin-to-skin with your new baby is not only a special time to bond, but this has also been shown to get breastfeeding off to a good start. Within the first two hours of  life, babies are alert, awake, and ready to feed. This is a great opportunity to introduce breastfeeding for the first time.

In the hospital

The nurses taking care of you and your baby have been specially trained to assist you with breastfeeding. If you need additional help, ask for a lactation consultant to come and visit you. These specially-trained nurses can provide assistance while you and your baby are in the hospital and after your go home.

What if I’m separated from my baby?

Sometimes if mom is sick or baby needs extra help, parents and babies are separated. This does not mean that you cannot feed your baby. Providing breastmilk is the best thing you can do for your baby, even if you are separated. Begin pumping your breasts as soon as possible after you deliver. Tell your nurse that you will be providing breastmilk for your baby. Your nurse will assist you with pumping and storage of your breastmilk. If your baby is sick, you have a special job: providing your baby breastmilk is an important part of her care, and is something only her mommy can do. 

What else can I do?

Lactation professionals recommend the following for a great start to breastfeeding and maintaining your supply:

• Practice skin-to-skin time with your new baby. Even Dads and Partners can spend time skin-to-skin.
• Avoid bottle nipples and pacifiers until breastfeeding is well-established. If your baby has a medical reason requiring supplementing, tell the nurses you want to feed your baby your milk with a special cup or spoon.
•  Don’t hesitate to ask questions or request extra help. 
• Before you leave the hospital, know who to call for breastfeeding help. A list of resources located near you can be found here.

Right after delivery many moms say, “I don’t have anything for my baby. I think I need to give a bottle,” because their breasts feel soft and their milk is not abundant. Don’t get discouraged! A mother’s first milk is called colostrum. It’s just enough for those first feedings. It’s super concentrated, rich, and has exactly what your baby needs at that time. The more your baby feeds, the more milk you will make in the next few days and weeks—those first feedings are like putting in the order for a great milk supply later. Expect your breasts to feel fuller by the third or fourth day after delivery.

This is a common worry for many new mothers. To answer this question briefly, “Breastfeed early and breastfeed often.”  Remember, the more often you remove milk from your breasts, the more milk you make. Some moms find it helpful to provide extra stimulation to make milk by pumping or hand-expressing after feeding their baby at the breast. Hand-expression of milk is easy and can be done with no extra equipment. Click here to find more information about hand-expression. Please call your lactation specialist for any further questions.

You can find IBCLCs at the hospital where you delivered your baby.  Call your local WIC agency for peer counselors and IBCLCs.

Please visit our Resource Page for more information on breastfeeding assistance where you live.

Please see our Resource Page  for the location nearest you to obtain a personal breast pump or call your insurance company. 

The kind of pump best for you depends on your lifestyle and your financial resources. An IBCLC will be able to assist you in choosing a pump that is best for you.

There is no specific “diet” to follow while breastfeeding your baby, but a healthy, well-balanced diet similar to what you ate during your pregnancy is all that is needed to support breastfeeding. Remember to drink plenty of fluids. Drink when you are thirsty and eat when you are hungry is a good rule to follow. 

Extra milk can be stored for later feedings- a night out with Dad or when you return to work.  Milk can be stored safely in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 6-12 months.

If you find that you have more milk on hand than your baby needs, consider donating your milk to a mother’s milk bank. Donated milk is processed and heat-treated, so it can be distributed to hospitals for babies who are sick, premature, or whose mothers cannot provide milk for their babies. Some milk banks also provide milk for adopted infants.  Click here to find out more about the Greater Ozarks Regional Mother’s Milk Depot, located in Springfield, MO.  To begin the milk donation application with Heart of America Mother’s Milk Bank in Kansas City, MO, contact them at email kcmilkbank@saint-lukes.org

You can find breastfeeding support groups throughout the southwest Missouri region. Please visit our Resources Page for a full list of breastfeeding support groups near you.