Choosing the right feeding support for you and your baby can be downright confusing! All these weird terms like lactation consultant and tongue tie practitioner. Who are these people and what do they do?
If you're too tired to read and puzzle it all out, an infant feeding specialist like Manchester Lactation Consultants combines several services under one roof. We can act as a lactation consultant to help with breastfeeding challenges, perform tongue tie procedures at our CQC registered clinic and provide feeding support such as help with bottle feeding, feeding plans and weight monitoring.
We specialise in lots of different areas of feeding such as low milk supply, slow weight gain, latching problems, early babies, colic and reflux, formula feeding challenges, nipple shields, exclusive pumping, combination feeding, complex breastfeeding issues, oversupply, mastitis, thrush, blocked ducts, breast abscess & tongue tie. This saves you having to attend different services to get the support you need. If you've got a bit more energy to get to grips with the differences, this article will help you choose the right support for you and your baby.
What is a lactation consultant?
A lactation consultant is someone who helps with breastfeeding. They'll help you and your baby to work together as a team to get breastfeeding sorted. They look at things like the position you're holding baby in to feed, attachment which is how the baby latches on to your breast and they can support with tricky bits like low milk supply, oversupply and other breastfeeding challenges.
What is a tongue tie practitioner?
A tongue tie practitioner is an experienced healthcare professional who has been formally trained to perform the tongue tie procedure, including all the associated skills such as infection control, aseptic technique, managing complications and assessing complex medical histories. NICE Guidance (2005) states: "Division of ankyloglossia (tongue-tie)...should only be performed by registered healthcare professionals who are properly trained."
So, now you know what each is, let's take a look at why you might need them...
I've been told I need a lactation consultant...
A lactation consultant can help you with many feeding issues such as coaching you on the best way to hold your baby when feeding, how to ensure they're feeding well and a host of other breastfeeding challenges. What you need to bear in mind is that if your lactation consultant isn't also a tongue tie practitioner, you may find you need to visit another service to get this addressed if your baby has a tongue tie.
Some lactation consultants are also very much against bottle feeding and you may feel pressured to make breastfeeding work. An infant feeding specialist service allows you the comfort of knowing that whatever your challenge and whatever your preferences, you'll get the support you need to feed your baby effectively, so you can relax watching them grow and thrive.
I think my baby has a tongue tie...
If your baby has a tongue tie, you can get this resolved through the NHS. We love our work in the NHS, but it means we're well acquainted with massive workloads and limited resources. This pressure on the system can mean that you may well be waiting 6 weeks or more to get a tongue tie resolved. Understandably, many parents don't want to struggle feeding their baby for that precious first 6 weeks of life so they choose to go to an infant feeding specialist or lactation consultant who's qualified to perform this small, painless procedure privately.
There are some clinics who only focus on tongue tie, which can be fine if you're sure that's the only thing standing in the way of you feeding your baby. An infant feeding specialist will not only perform the tongue tie procedure, but can also provide additional help to ensure you have all the tools you need to succeed with feeding your baby.