BF advice

Ben writes:

: How do you find these lactation consultants? Are they available in the
: hospital or do you have to find them before hand and they come in specially?

A couple of comments. The LCs associated with hospitals are often nurses
will little additional training, and won't be able to help with serious
problems. You could try the local La Leche League chapter, or even the
yellow pages. You should look for an IBCLC certified LC, and when you
find one, ask if she is IBCLC certified. This, at least, ensure a certain
minimum training requirement and supervised consulting before they practice.

Larry

Mary W. wrote:
I found the LC that finally fixed our problem via LLL. I had attended
a meeting while pregnant. There were two women there with newborns.
Both had used the same LC and raved about her. I got the number and
when we were in trouble, she was a tremendous help. Of the two LCs
we saw at the hospital, the first was OK, the second was lousy. The
LLL leader I saw after birth was pretty good, although she missed what
ended up being our big problem (poor tongue positioning by DD).

Anyone have recommendations for DC Metro area? I still have to find the
number of the LLL here.

Ben

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BTW. I can be contacted at Username:newsgroup4.replies.benaltw
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Ben wrote and I snipped:

Anyone have [LC] recommendations for DC Metro area? I still have to
find the number of the LLL here.

Ben

Lauri Clark, IBCLC of Breastfeeding Consultants of Northern Virginia
(http://www.breastfeeding-nova.com/breastfeeding.nsf) is truly
awesome!!!

Also, there are La Leche League groups all over the metro area. Try
http://www.lalecheleague.org/WebUS.html and click on Maryland, Virginia,
or Wash., DC to find a group near you.

Where do you live?

HTH,
-Patty, mom to Corinne [Mar-98] and Nathan [May-00]
and stepmom to Victoria [Apr-90]

P. G. Chavez wrote:
Lauri Clark, IBCLC of Breastfeeding Consultants of Northern Virginia
(http://www.breastfeeding-nova.com/breastfeeding.nsf) is truly
awesome!!!

Also, there are La Leche League groups all over the metro area. Try
http://www.lalecheleague.org/WebUS.html and click on Maryland, Virginia,
or Wash., DC to find a group near you.

Where do you live?

Actually, my wife isn't giving birth in a hospital near us, but in
Baltimore since her OB/GYN practices in the hospitals there and she
doesn't want to change since we moved.

regards,
Ben



--
BTW. I can be contacted at Username:newsgroup4.replies.benaltw
Domain:xoxy.net

DC Metro area? There are some GREAT LC's here. Where exactly are you
located? If you're in NW or Bethesda, call my ped, the Pediatric
Villate (202-244-1553). The doctors are GREAT and very BF friendly.
They have an LC as part of the practice, too. I wish I'd had them as
our peds when the kids were babies, but we didn't find them until my
youngest was two years old. They may also be able to refer you to a
good LC in your more immediate area.

I'm afraid I don't remember any particular names from when I used an LC
myself. I remember getting good advice ... no details, though.

--Beth Kevles

http://web.mit.edu/kevles/www/nomilk.html -- a page for the milk-allergic
Disclaimer: Nothing in this message should be construed as medical
advice. Please consult with your own medical practicioner.

Larry McMahan wrote:
Ben writes:

: How do you find these lactation consultants? Are they available in the
: hospital or do you have to find them before hand and they come in specially?

A couple of comments. The LCs associated with hospitals are often nurses
will little additional training, and won't be able to help with serious
problems. You could try the local La Leche League chapter, or even the
yellow pages. You should look for an IBCLC certified LC, and when you
find one, ask if she is IBCLC certified. This, at least, ensure a certain
minimum training requirement and supervised consulting before they practice.

I just wanted to add here, that the situation is different in other
parts (ie Larry's advice may be right on the money for most/all of the
US but not elsewhere). My experience in Toronto, Ontario (Canada) is
that Lactation Consultants here *are* registered nurses with trainign
and experience, and usually int'l certification. And, at my particular
hospital, even the 'regular' nurses on the L&D/OB floor were very well
trained in breastfeeding and very helpful, supportive and informative.
Not every hospital calls a nurse a "LC"; atleast here in Ontario, it
varies from one hospital to the next.
So, depending on where you are, it's not necessary to check for IBCLC
credentials...but of course it's good to get 'good help'!
--Barbara, who is ever so grateful that her local hospital runs an
excellent drop in BF clinic, funded by public health care, and who
thinks there ought to be more programs like it elsewhere :-)

Ben wrote and I snipped:

P. G. Chavez wrote:
Lauri Clark, IBCLC of Breastfeeding Consultants of Northern Virginia
(http://www.breastfeeding-nova.com/breastfeeding.nsf) is truly
awesome!!!

Also, there are La Leche League groups all over the metro area. Try
http://www.lalecheleague.org/WebUS.html and click on Maryland, Virginia,
or Wash., DC to find a group near you.

Where do you live?

Actually, my wife isn't giving birth in a hospital near us, but in
Baltimore since her OB/GYN practices in the hospitals there and she
doesn't want to change since we moved.

I'm sorry, Ben, but I don't understand the relevance of the hospital's
location. The LLL group your wife attends should be convenient to your
home, not the hospital. I suggest she begin attending their monthly
meetings while pregnant. And, except for having an LC help with
breastfeeding while your wife is in the hospital, I'd assume it's also
easier if the IBCLC you call is convenient to your home as well. The
LCs I used were both hospital-based and independent consultants
available over the phone. With my DD, I used several, probably as many
as 6 or 7, and paid for none of them except the $15 required for one
visit at a drop-in clinic available at a hospital other than where I
delivered. Most of the time I either asked questions over the phone or
attended a weekly breastfeeding support group at a third hospital (all
in noVA).

BTW, I'm not suggesting that every breastfeeding mother requires an LC,
but given that I was a first-time, nervous mom with PPD, flat nipples,
and eventually a breast abscess, I needed all the support I could get.

Good luck,
-Patty, mom to Corinne [Mar-98] and Nathan [May-00]
and stepmom to Victoria [Apr-90]

In KC wrote:

As for milk not coming in, if you do have to supplement with formula
at first because the initial weight loss is too much or if the baby
gets dehydrated give the supplement with a cup, syringe or
supplemental nursing system. Don't use a bottle. Then, if her supply
is very low there are medications you can try (domperidone or reglan).


I haven't read ahead, but hopefully someone else has mentioned that
supplementing with formula for a dehydration problem isn't recommended.
Formula isn't the best choice for a dehydrated infant.

Meredith