Name tag photo by Sanja Gjenero

Thanks to all the Lactnetters for sharing these substitutes for “Lactation Consultant”:

Location consultant (This is probably the most common. One woman was even listed under the real estate section in her local chamber of commerce directory!)
Lactitian
Lactitionist (as in “nutritionist”?)
Lactritionist
“The lactose intolerant – I mean the lactose tolerant – oh you know, what you are!”
Breast Lady
Milk Lady
Itty Bitty Titty Committee (now that had to have been said with love!)
Breastmilk Nurse
The Boob Lady
Lactessa
Lactating Specialist (I suppose that’s appropriate if the LC is, in fact, lactating at the time!)
Breastfed Lady (again, could be true, but might not be!)
Milk Maid (reminds me of this picture)
Breast-est Wonder Woman
Lactating Gal
Milking Lady
Boobyspecialist
Top Dog in Nursing (a compliment if I ever heard one!)
Boob Nurse
The Lactitioner
Lactating Consulting
Nipple Lady (?!)
Breast Coordinator (breastfeeding does take some coordination in the beginning!)
Dairy Queen
One husband even teased his wife about her new “boob job”!

Do you have any to add?

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

It’s true of nearly any profession. The keys to success are not technical knowledge or even years of experience. As I law student, I was not asked to memorize all the rules of federal, state, and local law. That would be impossible! Instead I was taught how to get at the heart of an issue and how to research and interpret the applicable laws. As a parent, I don’t need a Ph.D. in psychology or years of mothering under my belt. Mainly I need a sympathetic ear and a few resources, friends, and experts to consult. The same is true as a breastfeeding support professional. The most important skills for breastfeeding support are listening, identifying the real issue, and knowing how to find the answers. Sure it would be wonderful to have an encyclopedic knowledge of lactation, but such knowledge won’t get a lactation professional very far if she cannot discern that when a mother says:

“I don’t have enough milk” she often means “My family members want to feed the baby a bottle.” or
“I need to know how to wean my baby” she often means “I’m [going on a trip/need to take a medication/am in pain] and want to continue breastfeeding if it’s possible.” and
“Are there just some women who cannot breastfeed?” she often means “I want your permission to wean.”

Listening

Offering effective support. Photo by Shlomit Wolf.

Researching

I might not know off the top of my head whether a specific antibiotic can be taken safely while breastfeeding, but I know how to consult LactMed and Medications and Mothers Milk: A Manual of Lactational Pharmacology. I also know how to share the correct information with the mother, reassure her that the doctor who told her she needed to wean in order to take the medication was mistaken, and offer ideas on how the mother can talk to that doctor about continuing to breastfeed while taking the medication.

Offering Empathy and Guidance

Sometimes the best response is not:

“Here is my advice.” but “That must be so difficult.” and not
“The answer is….” but “I will be happy to find out for you.” and not
“You should….” but “Here are some of your options.”

Only when a mother feels heard and understood has the lactation counselor succeeded at breastfeeding support.

Your Experience

Was a lactation consultant or breastfeeding counselor particularly helpful to you, and if so, how? If you are a lactation professional, what do you consider your most valuable skill?

Other Carnival Participants

Angie Tillman, RD, LDN, CDE – You Are Beautiful Today
Anthony J. Sepe – Women’s Health and Migraines
Ashley Colpaart – Women’s health through women
Charisse McElwaine – Spending too much time on the “throne?”
Danielle Omar – Yoga, Mindful Eating and Food Confidence
Diane Preves M.S.,R.D – Balance for Health
Joan Sather – A Woman’s Healthy Choices Affect More Than Herself
Laura Wittke – Fibro Study Recruits Participants
Liz Marr, MS, RD – Reflecting on Family Food Ways and Women’s Work
Marjorie Geiser, MBA, RD, NSCA-CPT – Healthy Women, Healthy Business: How Your Health Impacts a Powerful Business
Marsha Hudnall – Breakfast Protein Helps Light Eaters Feel Full
Michelle Loy, MPH, MS, RD – A Nutritionista’s Super Foods for Super Skin
Monika Woolsey, MS, RD – To effectively work with PCOS is to understand a woman’s health issues throughout her life
Motherwear Breastfeeding Blog – How breastfeeding helps you, too
Rebecca Scritchfield, MA, RD, LD – Four Keys to Wellness, Just for Women
Renata Mangrum, MPH, RD – The busy busy woman
Robin Plotkin, RD, LD – Feeding the Appetites of the Culinary, Epicurious and Nutrition Worlds-One Bite at a Time
Sharon Solomon – Calories, longevity and do I care
Terri L Mozingo, RD, CDN & D. Milton Stokes, MPH, RD, CDN of One Source Nutrition, LLC – Crossing the Line: From Health to Hurt
Wendy Jo Peterson, RD – Watch Your Garden Grow

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Graphic by Sachin Ghodke

She created a site that lists upcoming breastfeeding education events including conferences and classroom, at-home, and online education courses. Educators can click a button on the site to list events, and those seeking continuing education credits can search the site by state, region or type of continuing education credit. Because the site depends on conference organizers to list their events, the site does not claim to be comprehensive. So check out my list of ways to find breastfeeding conferences as well.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Are you planning or attending an IBCLC Day event? Leave a comment!

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Potential subjects include:

- Books on breastfeeding
- Taking a breastfeeding class during pregnancy
- Training to become a breastfeeding peer counselor, La Leche League Leader, or lactation consultant
- Attending a breastfeeding support group
- Breastfeeding education in the schools: elementary school, high school, nursing school, or medical school
- A person who taught you about breastfeeding by her example or by being of support to you.

If you would like to submit your own post on Learning about Breastfeeding, email me your submission by September 15, 2008, for consideration for the carnival on September 22, 2008.

As a reminder, here are the guidelines that will increase the chances a post will be selected for inclusion:

– A well-written, grammatically correct post
– Thoughtful commentary directly on point for the carnival subject
– Overall quality of the rest of your blog and whether the general subject matter is something of interest to our readers (breastfeeding, parenting)

If your post is selected for inclusion, you will be asked on the day of the carnival to edit your post to link back to each of the other participants in the carnival.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Counseling the Nursing Mother: A Lactation Consultant’s Guide mentions this supplemental feeding technique:

The paladai — a cup feeding device — has been used to feed babies in India for many years. It is gaining recognition in the Western world as a helpful lactation device (Sideman, 1999). If you are unsure about a cultural practice, do not hesitate to ask your client. Most families are receptive to explaining cultural practices to people who are sincerely interested.

p. 31.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

A new breastfeeding book debuts next week. The ABCs of Breastfeeding: Everything a Mom Needs to Know for a Happy Nursing Experience is written by neonatal nurse practitioner and internationally board certified lactation consultant Stacey H. Rubin.

The website for the book offers a sample chapter on “The Signals That Will Let You Know When to Feed Your Baby”. The book appears to have an easy-to-read style peppered with stories and examples from the author’s interaction with her clients. I found myself nodding in agreement with the Rubin’s recommendations. How nice to read the following passage:

Libraryjournal.com reviewer Rebecca Raszewski also enjoyed Rubin’s stories, saying:

Her fascinating client stories, interweaved throughout, effectively illustrate the issues and success of new and experienced breastfeeding mothers alike; end notes from mostly medical and nursing journals titles support her content.

Raszewski concluded:

A solid alternative to the classic Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (7th revised ed. 2004), this will serve as both an informative and a reassuring book to any mother.

The The ABCs of Breastfeeding: Everything a Mom Needs to Know for a Happy Nursing Experience is available for order now on Amazon.com.

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3

Post from: Breastfeeding 1-2-3