What can lactation counselors help with?
Lactation counselors undergo specialized training and certification to offer advice, guidance and support to those who choose to breastfeed. You can start visiting a lactation counselor while you’re still pregnant, right after birth or months into breastfeeding.
Lactation counselors can help first-time moms and moms who have previously breastfed and are experiencing difficulty. Some reasons to seek breastfeeding help from a lactation counselor are:
- Milk supply concerns.
- Struggling with nursing positions.
- Issues with latching, tongue-tie or sucking.
- Breast refusal.
Our lactation counselors
Whatever way you choose to feed your baby, the lactation team is here to help. Our focus is to help moms be successful in their baby-feeding journey. We are passionate about helping lactating moms feed their babies breast milk exclusively or even partially. We offer assistance with latching, positioning, supply concerns and pumping! Whether you are breastfeeding for two weeks or two years, we are here to support you and your baby along the way!
Meet the members of our team:
- Samantha Andreasen, RN, CLC. Samantha has been a nurse at BBGH since 2016. She became a certified lactation counselor in 2020.
- Chelsey Long, BSN, RN, CLC. Chelsey has been a nurse at BBGH since 2015.
- Rylee Schnell, BSN, RN, CLC. Rylee has been a nurse at BBGH since 2018. She became a certified lactation counselor in 2020.
- Kaitlyn Kumpf, BSN, RN, CLC. Kaitlyn has been a nurse at BBGH since 2017. She became a certified lactation counselor in 2020.
Benefits of breastfeeding
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months with continued breastfeeding and introduction to appropriate foods for up to two years of age, or as advised by a healthcare professional. Here's why:
- Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for most babies. It promotes healthy weight gain and healthy eating patterns and helps prevent childhood obesity.
- Breast milk shares antibodies that help fight off viruses and bacteria from the mom to baby, helping to protect them against some short and long-term illnesses and diseases.
- Breastfeeding can reduce the mom’s risk of breast and ovarian cancer, type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and postpartum depression.
- Moms can breastfeed anytime and anywhere.