Lactation Consulting for Lake Forest Pediatrics Patients and Families

There are many health benefits to be gained for newborns who are breastfed for at least the first six months of their lives. The trouble comes when many women experience difficulties with breastfeeding. Because these complications can be extremely common, Lake Forest Pediatric Associates offers lactation consulting to help new mothers navigate the breastfeeding process and get into a routine that works for them as well as their baby.

Lake Forest Pediatrics has two providers who are Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants, Dr. Katie Hidaka, MD, IBCLC and Melissa Hilb, CPNP, IBCLC.

Dr Hidaka has available appointments on Monday and Tuesday at our Vernon Hills office and Thursday at our Lake Bluff office. Melissa Hilb has appointments available on Monday, Thursday, and Friday – office location varies depending on her schedule that day.

What Is a Lactation Consultant?

A lactation consultant is a board-certified medical professional who is dedicated to providing recommendations and educational resources to new mothers who have questions or problems with breastfeeding. It is the goal of a lactation consultant to work with each patient and find solutions that work for them individually, as every woman’s breastfeeding experience is uniquely different and there is no one-size-fits-all answer to this process.

The Effectiveness of Lactation Consulting

Research has shown time and time again that enlisting the help of a certified lactation consultant can considerably improve a mother’s odds of breastfeeding successfully and sticking to breastfeeding her baby for 6 months or longer. It is very common for patients to attempt breastfeeding entirely on their own at first before seeking guidance from a lactation consultant. However, this reactionary response can be incredibly frustrating and difficult for new mothers to accept. The better solution is to be proactive about breastfeeding, which means contacting a specialist right away rather than struggling through days or weeks of bad feedings, sore nipples, and unnecessary stress.

Common Problems with Breastfeeding

No matter what your particular pain point is with breastfeeding, our lactation consultants are here to help. Some of the most frequent reasons patients reach out to us for assistance with breastfeeding include:

• Infants who refuse to breastfeed
• Poor milk supply
• Problems with correct positioning
• Inability to meet regular weight milestones
• Newborns that fall asleep quickly when breastfeeding
• Babies who struggle to latch onto the nipple
• Marathon breastfeeding sessions
• Emotional and physical struggles while breastfeeding (postpartum depression, pain after childbirth, etc.)

What to Expect During a Consultation

When working with a lactation consultant, it is incredibly important that patients be up-front and completely honest about their issues with breastfeeding. The more information that is shared, the more that individuals can benefit from the advice given to them.

Consultants will typically review the mother’s breastfeeding process to get a sense of the techniques being used, and will be able to adjust that technique accordingly to ensure that the baby is latching, sucking, swallowing, and breathing as they should while breastfeeding. Mothers may bring a support person/partner, a lactation pillow, a nipple shield or other supportive feeding devices being used, and supplementary feeding, if needed.

It is important to contact the lactation consultants at Lake Forest Pediatrics Associates right away if you continue to have problems during breastfeeding, or if you have any additional questions. The sooner patients reach out for assistance, the sooner they can establish a working breastfeeding routine with their baby.