Lactation Consultants Offer Much More Than Breastfeeding Advice

Although lactation professionals are often best-known for helping new mothers with breastfeeding needs, did you know that they actually do far more? For new parents returning to work after the birth of a child, having the support of a trained and certified lactation consultant can make all the difference for a successful transition to parenthood!

Share this content

Professional mom working on laptop while holding baby.

Traditionally, we think of the lactation professional as the person who supports new mothers with instruction and advice on breastfeeding related topics such as latching, how to hold a nursing baby, breast milk volume, or breast pumps and other supplies that are helpful to those who pump breast milk. This is an important service to provide, but these experts are actually trained to be more than a breastfeeding specialist—they are truly an infant “feeding expert.” Here are a few things you may not know about lactation professionals and the benefit they can offer to new parents.

Services Lactation Professionals Provide Can Include:

Liaising with other health professionals to help women or their babies with complications related to the birth, and clarifying advice about medical treatment while breastfeeding
Supporting parents if they are having difficulty with baby waking for feeding sessions, or if baby is not gaining weight well
Providing insight or guidance if baby has a medical or surgical problem that is impacting the baby’s ability to eat
Educating parents on when and how to introduce a bottle to feed baby either pumped breast milk or an alternative option
Advising on how to supplement or fully switch from breast milk to an alternative
Supporting the introduction of solid foods at the appropriate time
Addressing issues and concerns related to spit-up, gas, bowel movements, and more
Helping breastfeeding parents with planning and executing the weaning process when they are ready

Offer Employees 24/7 Virtual Support with Lactation Consultant Access

Women that are returning to work after maternity leave, or women that will soon begin a maternity leave, have very specific pre- and post-natal health needs. For those who plan to breastfeed, having support in the early days and weeks after a new baby is crucial. That’s why our 24/7 Virtual Support benefit offers on-demand access, 24 hours a day, to International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) via phone or video-chat.

For all expecting parents, these IBCLCs can help with any infant feeding question they have. This can take a huge weight off new parents both in planning before baby arrives, and in establishing new routines once they are here!

If your new parent employee chooses to continue feeding her baby breast milk after maternity leave, she will need to establish a solid breastfeeding routine when the baby is born, and be prepared to pump every day when she returns to work and is away from her baby. This is a necessity for her, and it’s not always easy. Virtual support is very important to a breastfeeding employee so she is able to get issues resolved immediately—before the next feeding or pumping session—and it is a great way for employers to show they support their employees’ choice to continue their career and become a parent!

Support for Spouses and Caregivers, Too

As part of the 24/7 Virtual Support benefit we offer unlimited access to Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants and Registered Nurses for the whole family! From questions about medications, feeding, sleep habits, nutrition, colic, and more, parents will have more peace of mind knowing that they can get trusted advice from an expert—whenever they need it.

When mom, dad, or another family caregiver needs help, they can connect to a live expert even if it’s 2 a.m.! Giving your working parents and their family the ability to access experts when they need it is invaluable—it can often mean less time off from work, avoidance of unnecessary ER visits, greater peace of mind, and a higher likelihood of parents achieving their personal family goals such as how long they want to feed their baby breast milk.