Red Flags: Is my Lactation Consultant Legit?
Red Flags: Is my Lactation Consultant Legit (and up to date)?
How do you know your LC is giving you sound advice or just taking your money?
Certified quality lactation care will not be cheap.
Like any other expense for baby, it should be planned and budgeted for. And let’s face it, most people spend the cost of a consult buying paper towels and an impulse kayak at Costco. Getting properly sized, latched, and advised is worth its weight in gold. But, how do you know who is giving you proper advice or just taking your money while spouting off Dr. Google? The way to good lactation care has two parts – your work, and their work.
Your Work Before Scheduling with a Provider:
Does this provider have actual specialized training in lactation. Your pediatrician, OBGYN, and nurses may have some basic training in breastfeeding, and people often seek them out for advice. If they don’t have specialized training in addition to their medical credential they are not qualified to provide the highly skilled lactation support you and your baby need and deserve.
Research and find where the provider you are considering is certified – if you can’t find it, ask to see it. If they can’t provide it, or it seems suspect, find someone else.
Look for any disclaimers on their website that indicate they are just providing “experience-based” support and advice?
Do they discuss the need and use of HIPAA compliance? Please don’t receive lactation care by sending photos on Facebook or in mommy groups. There are hidden creepers in those groups.
Find out a provider’s times, prices, and services and check that they are convenient for YOU to access, within your budget, and have expertise in your area of concern.
Be prepared to advocate for yourself. If your provider is clearly not going to help you or makes you uncomfortable in word or action, you are under no obligation to finish out the appointment, and that’s why second opinions exist. Much like shoe shopping, not every shoe in your size fits comfortably.
Learn the Red Flag Phrases and Behaviors to Assess the Competency of Your Provider. If these things are said or done, be wary of the advice, and seek a second opinion.
Pain is normal.
Your baby is lazy.
You can’t exclusively pump long term.
The provider prescribes supplements without taking your health history.
You have small breasts, so you can’t produce enough milk.
Your provider cannot provide proof of certification upon request.
Your provider identifies your symptom, but doesn’t identify the cause.
Your baby is too old to learn to breastfeed.
You’re leaking colostrum, so you will have a great milk supply.
You need to prepare for nursing by toughening up your nipples.
Your baby has a dairy allergy – no medical testing necessary.
Your baby isn’t nursing well because you haven’t tried hard enough.
Exclusively breastfeeding is the only way to be successful.
Gives you a nipple shield if you have flat or inverted nipples without follow up care.
Turn your pump suction to “high” and when it hurts, just turn it down a bit.
Suggests bigger flanges for bigger breasts without looking at the nipple measurement.
Suggests bigger flanges for pain without looking at the nipple measurement.
Your baby is gaining weight, you don’t need to get the tongue-tie fixed.
You can’t breastfeed because you had breast implants/breast reduction.
The baby is always better than the pump at milk removal.
Client Compliance: This may seem like such an odd thing – paying for breastfeeding care, advice, and an entire care plan but not actually following it. Unfortunately, it is incredibly common.
If your provider needs your paperwork and photos at least a day before the appointment, please provide them. And double check your name spelling and email. Many people misspell these things, and we don’t want your information in the wrong hands.
If your provider wants you to do saline soaks for 3 days, please do them for 3 days. It is frustrating as a provider when a client comes back and says nothing has changed, or they are still in pain, but learns from the client that they did not follow their care plan.
The Provider’s Work:
Your provider should offer you a way to communicate and schedule that is easy, private, and respond in a timely manner.
Your provider should fill out paperwork that you have the ability to access or request access to.
Your provider should do a full health background and assessment on you and your baby. This matters because there are some conditions and diseases for which certain symptoms or treatments would or would not be advised (even list those vitamins you take).
The provider should identify the root cause of problems, not just describe the symptoms. Examples: your baby is chomping at the breast is the symptom, your baby is chomping at the breast because their tongue lacks mobility to allow them proper motion is identifying the cause. Your milk supply is low is a symptom, your milk supply is low, AND I suspect the cause is an underlying health concern, so we are sending you for lab work is identifying the problem.
After Visit Summary and Care Plan – if your provider does not give you an after-visit summary and care plan, you need to request one. So many times our brains dump everything we just heard. You need a hard copy reminder about what to do or who to see.
Referral if Necessary – referrals are sometimes necessary, and if they refer you, please strongly consider complying with that request. Unfortunately, it may mean more expenses for the client, but getting you or your baby treatment is the ultimate goal.
Professional Materials – your provider should give you professional looking materials that have been spell checked and grammar checked. This is not amateur hour.
Professional Behavior – a provider should explain to you everything that will happen, what will be required, and if they need to put hands on you, what they are doing, and why. IF YOU EVER FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE, SAY STOP! And the provider should immediately stop the action.
Extra Resources should be readily available to you upon request.
