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When to Seek Breastfeeding Help

It's important to know when breastfeeding happenings are normal, and when they are not. The best thing a family can do is know the parameters of what's common and seek help as soon as they notice things become uncommon. 

Concerns with Mom:
  • If there's prolonged separation of mother and baby
  • At the first sign of nipple pain that cannot be remedied with basic modifications to positioning and latch 
  • Moms who have very flat or inverted nipples to which baby will not latch
  • Moms who have history of breast surgery or scarring (reductions, augmentations, nipple piercings, etc.); most moms are able to breastfeeding just fine, but lactation consultants might be able to help mom identify and avoid red flags 
  • Markedly asymmetrical breasts; when one breast is significantly larger or differently shaped than the other (almost every woman has differences in her breast size; this refers to very obvious differences)
  • At the onset of any question about milk supply being too high or too low
  • If a mom has a steady history of hormonal imbalance
  • If mom is having trouble finding a position that is comfortable for her and baby
  • When mom is taking a medication whose compatibility with breastfeeding is unknown

Concerns with Baby:
  • If baby is so sleepy he misses consistent feedings
  • If baby's latch appears shallow and feels painful, even after remedying it with basic modifications to positioning and latch
  • If baby's tongue does not come out past the gum-ridge when latched (you can see this by pulling his bottom lip down), or if a baby's upper lip does not curl out even when pulled out with your finger 
  • If baby's posture appears asymmetric combined with poor or painful latch and positioning (sometimes this happens when baby's are mal-positioned in the womb, when mom had too long or too short of a pushing stage, and when baby appears bruised)

Most birth professionals are trained to provide basic breastfeeding care. If you feel your problem goes unresolved, please seek out the care of a birth professional who is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
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Use of this class by non-parents: This class has been written for parents, and while birth and breastfeeding professionals may share it with their clients, it must be shared as a web-links or printed directly from this site. This class or any portion of it cannot be used a class outline for another breastfeeding professionals' breastfeeding class, nor can any portion of it be copied or pasted. Any dissemination of this class must be in its entire original form (weblink or printed pages) and must cite Breastfeeding Housecalls and Laura Gruber, IBCLC as its author and owner.