In my work as an IBCLC lactation consultant, I’m often asked why I make my living helping mothers to feed their babies, and the answer is simply that when I was a new mum, struggling with breastfeeding, I didn’t understand that I had more options than the support provided by the NHS. I couldn’t wrap my head around the idea that a peer supporter at a group or a stranger on a helpline might know more tips and tricks than a midwife. We are raised in a society which encourages us to view our health care providers as the experts, and goodness knows the midwives and health visitors are doing their best with no funding or time. However, we need to get the word out there more that, if your NHS service isn’t quite able to help you work through your problems, then you are very likely to find the extra support you need via a volunteer or a private IBCLC.
My inability to value volunteers or to pay for support meant that I stopped breastfeeding when my son was 2 weeks old. I later went on to relactate for him (returning to breastfeeding by rebuilding your milk supply after a gap). And I was only able to do this because I accessed support from a breastfeeding counsellor over the phone, and a peer support group. My health visitor was supportive but admitted that she didn’t have the knowledge to support me. So I nervously picked up the phone and found myself crying to a local NCT counsellor. With her careful guidance, and with the emotional support of the peer to a peer-to-peer group, I went on to breastfeed for 18 months.
Breastfeeding support is a funny thing because for every other element of your health and wellbeing the services you need are easy to find and you are usually sent to those services by your GP or HV. But if its breastfeeding related? You often have to find the services by yourself. There’s a baffling array as well, so how do you know if the person you are seeing is qualified?
A peer support group is often a good first bet. Peer supporters are mums who breastfed for at least 6 months and then attended several days of training to enable them to know a little bit about lots of breastfeeding related issues. They will know where and how to signpost you further. Think of them as the GPs of breastfeeding support. Many issues can be resolved in the GP office (or peer support group!) But for those that can’t be, the GP (or PS in this case) knows where to send you for more specialist help.
A breastfeeding counsellor is the next step for many peer supporters – they’ve trained in depth for around 18 months and can deal with more tricky situations. A BFC is skilled at counselling skills, and will often spend quite some time listening to your concerns before helping you find some answers.
If your problem is complex, not resolving, or if you want highly skilled support at home, then you might pay to hire an IBCLC in private practice. We have had extensive training and are considered to be part of the healthcare team. We are specialists in lactation, and can do things volunteers can’t, such as assess tongue function, write to your GP to suggest medication, and weigh babies or write feeding plans.
The take-home message? If you have problems with breastfeeding, don’t dismiss the range of support options available to you just because the first person you saw couldn’t help. Sometimes it’s like a puzzle and each person you see can help you to fit a few pieces together. Your MW or HV can keep an eye on weight, and refer you to the Paediatrician, the peer support group can be where you find others having a hard time, and find out where else you can seek help, the BFC can offer more in-depth information, and an IBCLC can tie it all together with some clinical management on top. You might only need NHS services. You might only need the Peer support group, or you might jump straight into hiring an IBCLC… either way, you do have choices. You can access a BFC on the national breastfeeding helpline 0300 100 0212 and you can find your nearest IBCLC at www.lcgb.org Families and babies provide our local peer support services and update their Facebook page daily with PS led groups running across Dorset. Please don’t suffer alone – help is out there.
If you’d like to contact Lucy, you can message her on Facebook or on her mobile 07531491739.
You can also find further breastfeeding support at BCP Mumbler here, or visit the Lactation Consultants of Great Britain website here.
This blog has been written by Lucy exclusively for BCP Mumbler. Thanks Lucy for sharing with us!
