Why I called a lactation consultant

I called an LC because we were still having weight gain issues after tongue tie release. I was getting concerned about my milk supply b/c I knew he wasn’t efficient at the breast and I was still pumping quite a bit. I was second guessing everything I did (even though this was my second child) and was driving myself crazy. I was also having some PPD/PPA and my breastfeeding struggles were a trigger. 

What I got from my visit with LEIF

Mimi was great from the get go. First we started with a weighted feed so I had an idea what my son was transferring at the breast per feed. I found this to be very helpful because then we could calculate the amount of milk he needed daily to gain weight. For me that was a relief because, even when we had to bottle feed or use the SNS, I had an idea of how much I needed to use of my precious pumped milk and really didn’t waste any anymore. She taught me how to do suck training to help my son learn how to use his newly untethered tongue to properly remove milk from the breast. It didn’t happen overnight, but he did learn to nurse efficiently. After a few weeks of having to “top up” with a bottle of expressed milk or use the SNS, my son started gaining weight at 2 oz per day and we were exclusively breastfeeding. No bottles, no SNS. Another thing I learned was how to properly pace bottle feed. I was able to teach this to his caregivers for when I had to work. I also learned some “holds” (like tiger in a tree) for when he was particularly fussy. Finally, she taught me the breast sandwich which really helped my son get a better latch. Mimi was very patient and listened to our struggles. She had solutions for the majority of them and it was nice to know we weren’t alone and there was someone knowledgeable who could help. When the occasional question popped up, it was great that I had someone to call.

Where my breastfeeding journey led us 

18 months in and my son still nurses. We started baby led weaning at 6 months. He loves his food, but he also loves the comfort that nursing provides. I love that I can give him that comfort. I also love that I was able to give him the best nutrition I could.