Do You Have to Pay for a Lactation Consultant?

I delivered at Cape Hospital in 2004 and there was a lactation consultant (actually 2) on staff that I didn't pay for the assistance of. Call the hospital you're planning to deliver at to make sure they have one on staff. It would make sense that a hospital with maternity services offers lactation consulting.

I had a pretty rough time breastfeeding my daughter, too. I didn't find that pumping accomplished a whole lot in the beginning, but it did also seem that my daughter was hungrier than my body was able to provide for during the first week to 10 days of nursing. In the hospital and for a few days at home, (I had an emergency c section) we supplemented my breast milk with small amounts of formula given to her in a syringe instead of a bottle so as not to cause the dreaded "nipple confusion", but she wasn't suffering from being hungry all the time, either.

It may be pretty uncomfortable at first, but let your baby nurse as frequently as possible during the first 2 weeks. Every 2.5 to 3 hours 'round the clock is not out of the question. If you find you're really getting sore, definitely try using Lansinoh (that lanolin stuff) on your nipples coupled with warm compresses. Then, your body will know you've got a really hungry kid. and it will produce as much milk as your son seems to be asking for. Then, when you're making more than he can consume, you can pump that out and freeze it. For whatever reason, pumping doesn't encourage milk production, but actual nursing does.

Good luck!

1 mom found this helpful

I did go to see an LC, but I had problems breastfeeding. At which hospital are delivering? Bayfront and St. Pete. General have LCs on staff.

If you have WIC, you can go see the LC there for free.

I found that the pump isn't as good as the baby at getting out the milk. I think putting the baby to the breast is important. If you're engorged, pumping a bit first then putting the baby to the breast can help. In the hospital, nurses should be able to help if the LC isn't on duty.

Good luck! There are some great online resources for nursing moms: breastfeeding.com has a support message board. And kellymom.com has great breastfeeding info. You can also find a nearby La Leche League for support.

I don't know how it works here, but if you are having trouble with your new baby, DEFINITELY look into it! I've never had to pay, but we are military, and I think our insurance covers it. I had lots of trouble with my kids, too...and I was huge as well! The root of the problem seemed to be that my nipple was so big that their mouths were too small initially to latch on to the nipple AND areola, so they weren't getting enough, and it was painful. Don't be discouraged, though! My first I just muddled through the pain, my second I gave up and pumped for 3 weeks, then tried nursing again and she went right back to it. My 3rd never got the hang of it (I pumped for 6 months for her) and my 4th was just like my 2nd. I was elated that they would go back to nursing after getting pumped bottles for 3 weeks - I thought it was a lost cause. Good luck!
J.

Dear C.,

You should contact your local La Leche League Leader - they are members of an organization dedicated to the art of breastfeeding. I just spoke with one the other day - Heidi - in Clearwater - regarding the risks or benefits of taking aspirin for a pulled shoulder muscle while nursing my son. She was incredibly kind, attentive, helpful, and sweet. They have regular monthly meetings, and to my knowledge their consult is completely free.

Hi C.,

You shouldn't really need anything to bring to the hospital. One of the many nice things about breastfeeding is that it's incredibly simple. Most hospitals have lactation consultants that you don't need to pay for. I delivered at St. Joseph's Women's in Tampa, and went back to the lactation consultants several times in the first few weeks, and no one asked me for a dime. They were incredibly helpful. Plan to ask for a visit while you're still in the hospital - they'll talk to you about positions and give you tips for latching. St. Joe's also had a one-evening breastfeeding class that answered a lot of my questions before delivery - you might want to check if something like that is available for you.

Good luck!
J.

It looks like you definitely got great advice. I just want to encouage you and let you know that you can do it. I had an awful time with my son who is now 3 months old. He still fusses sometimes, but we are going strong. I had to pump and use a nipple shield for a few weeks, but I PROMISE it gets easier. After the 4th week it was like all of the difficulties never happened. Good luck and just post on here if you need encouragment. These ladies are great and so helpful.

I think it is wonderful that you have decided to breastfeed. My nurse practioner that delivered my baby (in Pensacola) was a lactation consultant so I didn't use one, but I think they are free and provided as a service by individual hospitals. I took a class at my hospital. It was one day and 3-4 hours. There is a lot to know. If you don't have any of these resources. Read the breastfeeding section in "What to Expect When you are Expecting." I basically stayed naked for a few days until I got the hang of it, but it was my first and only me and my husband around for the first few days. Good luck!!

There is a free Nursing Moms Support group that meets at Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater the first and third Friday of every month. We meet on the 2nd floor of Sarah Walker Women's Center. It's a great time for new mommies to meet and talk about nursing questions. There is also an awesome Lacataion consultant at that hospital named Lucille Harrington. I couldn't have made it these past 15 months nursing my son without her. She is amazing. A consultation with her is free.

Hope this helps and many blessing to you on your new little one. Mommy's milk is best!

C.,
Check where you are deliving. I received free lactation advice from the specialist where I delivered my son. She was excellent and she had great advice too. They even have supplies if you need it. I did end up renting a pump from the hospital because my son was premature. I would start there before purchasing anything. Good luck.

Sarasota Memorial offers free lactation consultation - before the birth (there is a class which has a fee), but a consultant came to assist me in the hospital before the baby and I went home.
One of the best things I did while nursing was to drink Mother's Milk Tea. It is an herbal supplement that you make as a hot tea (Whole Foods carries it - and I believe other supermarkets, nutrition stores and pharmacies do as well.) It is amazing! I started right after my son was born - as recommended by my OB nurse. It helps your milk come in faster. And it also helped keep my production up - I had a very big hungry boy! It tastes pretty good - like licorice - not my favorite flavor, but definitely worth it!!! Best of luck to you.

All hospitals in the Tampa area have Lactation consultants or lactation nurses. I know while you're at the hospital they are no charge... after you go home, I highly recommend you join La Leche League. I had to stop because of an un-sympathetic GP that prescribed a non-compliant drug (later found out I could have had another brand, made me mad!)... I have a feeling that if I had joined LLL, I wouldn't have had this problem.

As far as implants, from what I understand, it usually is up to where the implant is- if it's under muscle and how much of your ducts were damaged if they did a through the nipple procedure. Another question to ask while you're meeting with the lactation professional there.

Hope that helps! Generic, store-brand formula averages $16 a canister, and both my kids went through a canister in about 3-5 days. You as a mom have to eat anyway, so technically your milk's free! Just make sure to stay hydrated (I drank a full glass of water as I was nursing) and get rest. It burns a lot of calories just to produce it.

A LC visit typically happens while you are in the hospital. Although sometimes you have to request it. After you leave the hospital followup visits cost a small fee.

Look for help in other places as well. Consider going to a La Lache League meeting. Find a group near your home now. And look online for help as well at sites such as www.kellymom.com. It's been my experience that support from fellow bfing moms is just as important as professionals.

Good luck.

C., Go to the La Leche League International web site. They are an awesome group and consultation is free. Search for a group and you'll get a list of all the Lee County Meetings. Open the brochure and leader phone numbers are listed. Try to catch a meeting before you baby arrives so you can meet a support group of other moms. You don't have to join LLL to get help, but the membership is great to get resources publications delivered to your door. Some of my best friends today, I met in my first La Leche League meetings. My girls are 6 & 8 now.
A.

First of all a HUGE pat on the back for being so motivated to be successful with breastfeeding with your 2nd. After one not-so-good experiences, many moms wouldn't even consider it the next time around....so way-to-go! If you stay motivated and strong, you will be very successful, don't worry :-)

No, you do not HAVE to pay for the expertise of a LC. You can if you want to, or if one in a certain location is easier for you, but there is a FREE LC service through Morton Plant Hosp and it is free to you wether you deliver your baby there or not. You can cal for a phone consult or make an appt to come in and see her personally and get help. Her name is Lucille (as others have mentioned). The number there directly is ###-###-#### -leave a msg and she calls you back.

You should also take a class BEFORE giving birth....they are offered at most hospitals, but I recommend Morton Plant because they are the only WHO Baby/Breastfeeding Friendly hosp in the area, and I feel they are VERY pro-breastfeeding and educated in that area. Also - get the 'Breastfeeding Book' by Dr. Sears and the LLL book 'Womanly Art of Breastfeeding'. These are excellent resources and prep you for everything (well, not everything!!).

I recommend telling the nurses at labor/delivery that you are breastfeeding and DEMAND that they allow you to nurse the baby immediately after birth....most of the non urgent poking and prodding can wait at least an hour (of course after they see that the baby is doing fine).... Wait on the eye gunk so the baby can see you and wait on all the other prodding (if you even intend to do any of that!)....give you and the baby the first little while to bond, nurse and look into each others eyes. That first hour is so precious! Ask for the LC right away so they can make sure the latch is good and you start out right and hopefully avoid some issues. Have the LC see you the next day too. Avoid bottles or pacifiers during the 1st month, so to help ensure a successful latch and learning the proper suck!

Please visit a LLL meeting, even before you give birth and also consider the Nursing Moms Care and Share support group that meets at Morton Plant in Clearwater on the 1st and 3rd Fridays at 10am. The support of the LC that attends the meetings as well as the other moms can not be measured and is the reason for many moms successful breastfeeding outcomes, including mine. I knew NOTHING and ended up at a meeting with a 2 week old baby on a nursing strike and me engorged....boy did I need help!

You won't need much at the hospital except a BIG voice about your breastfeeding intentions and that you want LC help! They will provide the lanolin, breast shields or pump if any are needed, just speak up!

I wish you LOTS of luck and please feel free to email me anytime!

Hi C.,
The lactation specialist at my hospital (Manatee Mem.) was free. Most specialists are avail. by appt. and they may also be able to let you borrow a breast pump should you decide to go that route. I received a wealth of info including booklets, pamphlets and demonstrations. You might also like to know that there is a breast feeding seminar coming up at Babies R Us. Check with the store in your area. Congratulations and good luck!

You can see a lactation consultant at the hospital. At the hospital I delivered in, they even had me back in to their office when I had trouble with my 2nd child after I came home, even though I'd already nursed my 1st for 15 months, and they didn't charge for that service either (unless they charged it to the insurance company and I never caught it). Make sure to get the lactation consultant's phone number. They are usually very happy to help out.

C., Good for you to give it a try! Take a tour of the hospital even it was where you delievered before. Ask to see the lactation consultant. Introduce your self and make her aware this is your first time breast feeding. She will generally anwser any questions. When you deliver your little guy make sure you tell the nurse that you plan on breastfeeding and ask to see the lacataion consultant when she make her rounds. When ever I had questions all I had to do was call her once I got home. She will teach you any and all of the tricks to get your baby to latch on.Do not pump until 2 weeks after you had your baby. It takes that time for your milk to come and to esablish feeding. I breastfeed both of my babies. It is the best thing you can do for your little one! If you have more questions just ask away!!! Good luck
N.

Hi C.,
Boy do I know exactly what you are going through! With my 1st daughter, I tried for a month and gave up. I just gave birth (7/22) and had a little trouble but now it's going smooth thanks to the lactation consultants. I gave birth at Mease Countryside, but I believe it's the same at all hospitals, you DO NOT have to pay for the LC's. And they should come visit you in the hospital. And, I too, have big breasts (size D's before pregnancy/milk in) so I was worried, but it's not an issue. I would suggest when the LC comes to you in the hospital, have her show you the proper technique to get them latched on. When mine came, she showed me the different positions and watched her feed, but didn't show me how to get a proper latch. This created problems, and I ended up going back for them to show me. And I took a breastfeeding class, which I do recommend, but they didn't show you how to latch either, just positions (maybe it was just the one I went to). I have to say, without the LC's, I would not be breastfeeding right now. They are such a huge help and from what mine told me, I can come back as many times as I need to, for free. Also, make sure you breastfeed within the first half hour after giving birth, because it makes a difference. Good luck and here's hoping everything goes well!

As a before birth preparation, take a class given by the hospital. I delivered at Morton Plant in Clearwater and was unable to take a class because my son was born the day I scheduled to take the class (not to mention I waited till the last minute) but when it came time for the very first feeding I felt clueless on what to do and how to do it but the nursing staff was so helpful and supportive. Now my son is almost 10 months old and we are still going strong with breastfeeding! As for not latching on properly, I would try different holds and positions before going straight to pumping, but most certainly pump if he is missing feedings and you're getting overly full. Once you are engorged, it is much harder for the baby to latch on and especially one who is just learning. You won't need a lactation consultant unless you are having issues and need some help, but to hire one right off the bat probably isn't necessary but it is totally up to you. During your hospital stay though I would definately recommend asking to see the lactation specialist/consultant, I did and they were very helpful in teaching different holds and positions and offering simple easy to follow tips and techniques. Also, Morton Plant Hospital in Clearwater has a great breasfeeding support person, her name is Lucille and she is wonderful! My son was slow to gain weight and such a sleepy eater and I called her many times asking for support and help and also visited her at the hospital. She is a lactation consultant and the service was free. I can give you her number if needed. Good luck to you and your new baby and one last bit of advice...don't give up but do what feels best for you, your body and your baby! It took me about 3 weeks to get the hang of it and even then things weren't perfect by any means but I am so so glad that I stuck with it and I know my son is too! Oh, and one more thing (sorry to go on and on....:-) some breastfeeding is better than none at all so even if it doesn't work out, you at least tried and you can feel good about giving your child the best start in life!! Good luck to you and best wishes on your upcoming little one! If you have any more questions please feel free to contact me, I'd love to be of any assistance!

I don't know where you are delivering but I was at St. Joe's and although they asked if I wanted one (a lactation consultant) and I said yes, they never sent one in for me. I was later told to make sure to ASK and BE PERSISTENT b/c during your stay it is free.
I went in for an appt after the fact and paid $35, I think. It was worth it for me b/c I too have had breast surgeries (a lift & small implants) and didn't know if I could even nurse (I could). She weighed my baby and watched me feed her and reweighed her and reassured me she was getting enough milk & my technique was good. So, very good to hear!

While in the hospital a lactation specialist will visit you to get you started. Most moms give up too quickly. It just takes practice for baby and mom. Babies don't need very much those 1st few days anyway so it is a perfect time to get it right! I doubt you will need any further help or need to spend any more $

Hi C.! You've gotten lot's of great advice! I just wanted to congratulate you on your new addition! Breast feeding was such a wonderful experience for me and I know you will do great! Many Blessings!
J.

Definately take a class before you deliver, It is a MUST! You can't pump at the hospital, the first 2-3 days is just colostrum until your milk comes in. Believe it or not, this is all your baby needs during the first few days. You can suplement with formula, sometimes the hospital does this. If you do, we are talking about measuring in cc's here! They can't handle much more. When your milk comes in, you can always pump before a feeding until you "let down" if you are engourged and that might make latching on easy for your baby. You can definately do this with implants and your baby won't starve, you can really tell if they are getting enough by their mood and weight gain. Good luck!

Nursing can be very hard but it is the most rewarding thing you can do for your baby! Many hospitals offer classes on nursing before your baby is due. This is very helpful because although we think it should come "natural" it can be very hard to get started. Also many hospitals offer mommy breastfeeding support groups for free that are run by a lacation specialist and you get together with other new mom and it's really helpful to talk and get advise from others who are going through the same thing you are. My three boys were all born in Massachusetts and those free group classes really saved us during those first very difficult days. Your child will not starve, just stick with it and both you and your baby will be pros at it in no time! Also breast come in all shapes and sizes so don't let your implants be the reason for not giving it your all! Good luck!

Hi-
I just wanted to let you know what my experiences have been over the last 13 months of successfully breastfeeding my son. I did get some info through my birthing classes. The hospitals are staffed with lactation consultants, usually she's a labor & delivery nurse. She's the one who helped me out those first, few rough days. The baby will latch on eventually & if there are problems, they can advise you on how to use nipple shields, pumping to get the milk to come in sooner & even the use of some alternative gadgets to help the baby out in the beginning (like a supplemental nursing system). After I got home, I did need to call a lactation consultant & they gave me lots of over the phone advice for free. A lot of the hospitals also offer a service where you can visit them & weigh the baby before & after a feeding to settle your mind about how much the baby is taking in at a feeding session. My hospital didn't do this, but I know some in the Tampa Bay area do, so it may be worth it to drive to one, just so you can rest easier.

Best of luck to you! You can do it, just don't give up too quickly & consult with the La Leche League as well if you have any questions. I called them & we spoke over the phone at length for no charge, but to attend a meeting, I think they wanted a $30/yr donation. I also have their breastfeeding book...very helpful.

The hospital where you deliver should have one on staff who will come to see you. I have delivered at both St. Joseph's (my first) and UCH (my second). The primary reason why I chose UCH for the second delivery is b/c the Lactation Consultant never came to see me at St. Joseph's, despite my requests. Even though the nurses are very helpful, if you have difficulties, you need someone who specializes in this. Consequently, with my first, nursing was excruciatingly painful for almost ten weeks. I thought this was normal, but finally went to UCH and paid for the consult (worth the money) and it turns out my son was latching onto my nipple. This was quickly assessed and solved with technique tips and a "my breast friend" pillow. With my second son, I made sure to have a consultation the first week. Many if not most babies are great latchers, but make sure you see the lactation consultant at the hospital. The phone support is great, but you really want someone to show you what to do when that child is screaming from hunger. I believe the fee for UCH is $25/half hour, but of course, if you see anyone while during your stay, it is included. Good luck, and congratulations!

Good for you for trying again! I breast fed both my children and required a lactation consultant both times because of completely different problems, even though I was experienced the second go round. Lactation consultants are offered free at hospitals during your stay. With my first child I had to go back after I was discharged and I think there was a minimal fee but well worth it. Try to breast feed as soon as possible after delivery, the nurses in the delivery room can help you. Once you get in a room then request the lactation consultant. As far as before delivery the only thing you need to do is clean your pump and take it with you to the hospital. There are some local places who offer free breast feeding classes which help with positioning, latch on, etc. Baby Bungalow is one, they are in the phone book. Breast feeding is not easy for the first few months, but stay strong! It gets a lot easier!!!!

You can pay a lactation consultant, but it is much easier to go to the La Leche League (link below) and just talk. They will be able to show you how a child is supposed to latch on correctly and you might meet someone who would willing to help if something went wrong in the breastfeeding department.

http://www.llli.org/