Breastfeeding is a team sport

Nearly 81% of breastfeeding parents believe we should be talking about how challenging breastfeeding is. The benefits are praised, and we see unrealistically flawless depictions of breastfeeding on social media—yet no one seems to want to see breastfeeding in public spaces or talk about it openly. The stigma surrounding breastfeeding persists, making the experience an isolating one for many parents. Moreover, breastfeeding carries both a physical, emotional and mental burden that is often misunderstood. While breastfeeding is hailed as “best” for baby and scientifically biological, it’s a skill parents shouldn’t have to learn alone.  

In the midst of this XXXIII Olympic season, which happens to fall during Breastfeeding Awareness Month, I assert that just as Olympic athletes have a team supporting them as they prepare to compete, so should lactating parents. 

Yes, breastfeeding requires a team

Parents deserve a team that not only includes their partners, friends and family (if they are fortunate enough to have them nearby), but clinical professionals who are trained to help throughout what is arguably one of life’s most impactful stages.  

Parents are guided carefully through pregnancy–and sometimes even before conception—by their obstetrician. Appointments become more frequent the closer they get to delivery, and yet, after delivery, the next appointment is often scheduled six weeks out. Pediatricians follow newborns closely in the first two weeks and then regularly throughout the first year. 

But what about the days and weeks in between? There is often a gap in holistic care of the postpartum dyad.  

In the days following birth, parents learn to navigate and interpret changes to their body, heal from childbirth, and analyze a brand-new human’s cues for survival. Who walks alongside families through that transition? Who guides both parents and infants to successful breastfeeding goals and helps troubleshoot when things aren’t going as planned? Enter the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC). An IBCLC is the often-unrecognized key player in the postpartum healthcare team. Acknowledging this provider and elevating their expertise can lead to stronger family units and improved health outcomes. 

Breastfeeding is a learned skill

As an IBCLC and registered nurse with over 20 years of maternal healthcare experience, I can attest to this: Most people don’t know or fully grasp that breastfeeding is a skill that requires mental fortitude, a strong support system, adaptability and patience. This reality usually sets in during the first few days and weeks after delivery. Newborns have reflexes and instincts to aid in feeding but need full parental guidance to coordinate those things effectively. 

Ease of modern travel and career choices have often removed us from our “village.” We have lost visibility of breastfeeding and, with it, the ability to learn by watching. It is common now to breastfeed behind closed doors, deferring to the internet as the source of truth for education and problem-solving.  

IBCLCs provide care that fills in where traditional maternal healthcare models do not or cannot. Each IBCLC must complete a rigorous pathway to their certification, including hundreds of clinical hours, healthcare-related courses and lactation-specific education.  

About 82% of The Lactation Network’s IBCLCs provide consultations in-person, with most taking place in the patients’ homes. While a typical in-office medical provider appointment (PCP, OB, Pediatrician) will last approximately 15-20 minutes, the length of a lactation consultation is commonly 60-90 minutes or more, depending on the unique needs of the family. A consult of this length allows full assessment and evaluation of both parent and infant(s). It also allows time to establish a deeper rapport which can lead to earlier identification and tracking of postpartum mood changes or issues with baby that may require evaluation by a physician or other member of the care team. 

We must prioritize lactation support

There is extensive research and data that proves that breastfeeding is crucial to support the health of babies and parents—and still the United States has the lowest breastfeeding rates among high income countries. Why?  

In 2010, the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated that group health plans offering group or individual health insurance must provide coverage for comprehensive prenatal and postnatal lactation support, counseling, and equipment. Prior to this mandate, lactation care was viewed by many parents as a luxury requiring hundreds of dollars paid out-of-pocket, making care inaccessible to most birthing families. This history has led to continued underutilization of this vital care due to the lack of awareness that insurance-covered lactation care is an option.

For this reason, traditional healthcare practitioners often don’t take advantage of or refer to this expert lactation guidance that so many patients desperately need. It’s worthwhile to note that many physicians admit a lack in lactation training during residency—as well as a lack of time to cover exams, screening for signs of infection or mood disorders, and prescription requests. 

By ensuring the appropriate clinical support provided by IBCLCs, we could change the game for parents and communities at large. 

What if lactation consults (prenatally and shortly after birth) for all breast and chestfeeding parents became the standard of care? What would it look like if an expert remained by a family’s side through early postpartum days; return to work transitions; weaning, and every struggle and triumph in between?

 If we doubled the number of babies being breastfed through six months, the USDA estimates that at least $3.6 billion could be saved annually in the treatment of childhood illness alone.

Breastfeeding has also been linked to lower absenteeism at work and greater productivity. More importantly, successful breastfeeding has been shown to improve emotional well-being and reduce rates of depression and anxiety.  

Across the globe, we’ve spent the past week celebrating humans performing incredible feats—and I contend that breastfeeding people do the same, every day. And just like Olympians, they require and deserve a supportive team to make the journey just a bit easier. When we recognize the integral role of IBCLCs (and ourselves) as members of every breastfeeding family’s team, we all win.