As you know – breastfeeding can be both an amazing bonding experience and, at times, a bit of a challenge!
That’s where lactation consultants come in!
These experts can be a total game-changer when it comes to guiding and supporting you through your breastfeeding journey.
Today, I’m chatting with Emily Webb, a Lactation Consultant in Beaufort and part of The Baby Settler team!!
Let’s dig in!
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Can you tell me a little bit about yourself? Can you tell me about your education and certifications in lactation consulting? What made you get into this line of work?
I have my Bachelor’s of Science in Nursing and have worked as a registered nurse for 11 years. After a year and a half of adult health I moved to women’s health and have never looked back. I was a part of the staff opening the Coastal Carolina Women’s Pavilion and worked as a post partum nurse for 6 years. While working post partum I spent a lot of my time helping mom’s breastfeed. In nursing school and really in training to be a post-partum nurse we get very little to no education on how to help mom’s breastfeed and never could have imagined how much of a challenge this could be for new parents. With being a post partum nurse, helping moms feed their babies is just one of many many tasks assigned in a shift – there was never really the time nor knowledge to dedicate to it like I felt there should be. Sometimes feeding your newborn can be a more difficult task than the birthing process!
After many years working nights, holidays, and weekends I craved a more predictable schedule and was led to a job as a Home Visitor for Military Families. In the course of this job I had a lot of time to devote to self-study and my subject of choice was breastfeeding. I began teaching day long prenatal/breastfeeding/baby care classes to expectant military families and realized how few resources there were for breastfeeding parents who were struggling.
During my time as a home visitor, my job purchased a lactation scale and supported me to become an IBCLC. To become an IBCLC you have to complete 90 hours in lactation specific education, assist moms for 1000 hours with breastfeeding, and sit for a worldwide boards exam given only twice a year around the world. I really just saw a need in the community and wanted really badly to fill this need. I really very much enjoy helping families overcome challenges with their newborns and help them become more confident parents.
What are the most common reasons moms come to see you?
Sometimes people are having signifiant challenges feeding their babies and occasionally only want reassurance that things are going well. I can always find something to educate families on. During a lactation consult we discuss sleep, development, mom’s mental health, take a look at breast pumps, talk about breast milk supply, storage of milk, evaluate positioning and latch, baby’s oral function – the list really goes on and on.
A lot of people seek my help if their baby is refusing the breast or breastfeeding is painful or stressful in general. Sometimes I even see people for reflux, fussiness and I help them to find the root cause. Babies are always trying to tell us something – it is my job to try and figure out what that is.
Baby Settler specializes in the relationship between feeding and sleep. Most often, the quality of baby’s feeds is affected by their sleep and vice versa – or sometimes there is something else going on making it challenging for a baby to rest. I enjoy helping families troubleshoot these types of things and find what works best for their family when it comes to methods of feeding and sleep. What is best for some families is not always breastfeeding and that is important to recognize too.
Can you describe your approach to supporting moms with breastfeeding challenges? Are you experienced in supporting moms with special circumstances, such as preemies, multiple births, or babies with medical conditions (and what does that support look like or how does it differ)?
I very much believe in meeting parents where they are. Each person’s lived experience is very different therefore the way they may best care for their babies will differ from family to family. Some families may choose to bottle feed from the beginning, some may not be great candidates or not want to breastfeed at all, and some may need some type of combo feeding method. If a mom wants to breastfeed and wishes to overcome challenges along the way I am absolutely here for it and ready to pivot and make a new plan if that goal changes. Overall, I want a mom to feel empowered, knowledgeable, and confident that she is exactly what her baby needs.
So much of the time breastfeeding is difficult for reasons out of a mothers control. I work with moms of preemies who may take longer to arrive at breastfeeding and making sure these moms have the chance to establish their milk supply while their baby develops enough to take their milk by mouth is a unique challenge. I have worked with a mom with triplets before and that was a unique challenge in balancing the need for rest with mom’s desire to provide breastmilk. If you’ve ever cared for one baby you can imagine how much of a challenge multiples can be! Families of multiples often have to be so strategic when it comes to breastfeeding or pumping milk. I have met with babies who are fed partially by a tube in their stomach, some with severe food allergies. Each situation is vastly different and again, just meeting families where they are – helping them determine their goals is key.
If someone is thinking about hiring a lactation consultant, when should they reach out?
The best time would be prenatally. You never know on any given day when you give birth what sort of challenges you will have – you will be more tired than you have ever been (and for weeks following birth as well) so learning while you are still expecting is really ideal. I like to arm parents with knowledge of what to expect, how breastfeeding and milk supply works, and what to do in case things aren’t going well right away! I also really enjoy going through what is best to have on hand – breast pump, ideal bottles, swaddles, pacifiers etc because there are many of these things that aren’t so well designed to support breastfeeding. There is so much information online and so many opinions it can be hard to sift through what to buy or what you need – I enjoy streamlining this process and helping families feel prepared.
If a family is not able to reach out prenatally or has already had their baby but may be struggling, sometimes time is of the essence. Typically with breastfeeding challenges the quicker somebody seeks help, the more likely we are to be able to get back on track.
What resources do you recommend for new moms to help them succeed in breastfeeding
I highly recommend any sort of support group (I am working on this for Beaufort) – Bluffton has happy moms happy babies on Tuesdays from 12-2 at the Bluffton Medical Campus and Discovering our Village is at the Bluffton Branch of the Beaufort County Library on Tuesday nights.
Get a good quality breast pump BEFORE having your baby. So many families find themselves struggling and have not done this prior to having their baby and find themselves needing to pay out of pocket for one. The fun new wireless in bra ones are not meant to be primary pumps but one that plugs in the wall with traditional flanges is necessary. Insurance is mandated to cover one for each baby in the third trimester.
Familiarize yourself a bit with what breastfeeding looks like – First Droplets.com and Jack Newman’s Visual Guide to breastfeeding are favorites of mine.
Most importantly, find out what breastfeeding support you have available to you and seek out a prenatal appt if possible – take a breastfeeding class – if you have a friend with a new baby, spend time with her and this new baby! So many people have a baby who have never spent very much time around a baby and it helps to be comfortable handling them and your friend may enjoy the company.
There are CLC (certified lactation counselors) who can be really helpful with prenatal education and breastfeeding fundamentals, occasionally WIC has peer counselors on staff, Coastal Carolina Hospital has lactation consultants on staff (I am there as one about once each week), there is a local military mothers breastfeeding group, and I offer home visits between the Beaufort and Bluffton area with Baby Settler as an IBCLC (international board certified lactation consultant). I can help with prenatal education and breastfeeding basics to more complex challenges as well. The Lactation Network online can help families not only get approved for their breast pumps but also get them paired with myself or another IBCLC in their area possibly covered by their insurance. Many people don’t know they may have this benefit! Another great thing to find out before having your baby.
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Make sure to give Emily a follow on Instagram to learn more about what she offers and more breastfeeding tips!
