How to choose a lactation consultant

When lactation support can help

Feeding support is useful well beyond the first latch. Families may ask for help with pain, positioning, expressing, bottle feeding, mixed feeding, supply worries, or returning to work. You do not need to wait until feeding feels unmanageable before asking for support.

Start with the problem you want help with. A focused description, for example pain during every feed or uncertainty about whether baby's latch is correct, makes it easier to find a practitioner whose experience fits.

• What is happening during or after feeds
• How long it has been happening
• What you have already tried
• What you would like feeding to feel like

Questions to ask before booking

Ask which feeding concerns the practitioner sees most often and what happens during an appointment. Confirm whether they observe a full feed, provide written notes, and offer follow-up if the first plan needs adjusting.

Practical details matter too. Check the total fee, appointment length, travel charges, cancellation policy, and whether support is available at home, in a clinic, or online.

Be prepared for and focused during your session. A session is usually one hour that can be eaten up with general chit chat, so have a list of questions or goals prepared in advance.

• Which qualifications and professional memberships do you hold?
• Will you observe a feed and take a full history?
• Is follow-up included in the fee?
• How do you work alongside a GP, midwife, or paediatrician when needed?

What a useful feeding plan should include

A useful plan should reflect your baby, your health, and your feeding goals. It should prioritise the next few manageable actions instead of giving you a long generic checklist.

You should also know what improvement may look like, when to review the plan, and how and when to contact them if it is not working. Feeding advice should never make you feel that there is only one acceptable way to feed your baby. Your and your baby's wellbeing is paramount.