Baby at the breast

Lactation Consultant

Private clinic consultations and home visits to help with a range of issues including: latching difficulties; sore nipples; weaning off shields; blocked ducts and mastitis; thrush and other nipple/breast infections; concerns about milk supply; expressing and increasing supply; weight loss and slow weight gain; supplementing and weaning off top ups;  relactation and induced lactation; wind/colic, reflux and allergies;  premature babies; babies with special needs, twins and other multiples; tongue-tie.

 

What is a Lactation Consultant?

International Board Certified  Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) are professionals with extensive experience and in depth knowledge in supporting breastfeeding mothers.  Qualification is via a 4 hour degree level examination and to enter the exam practitioners must have completed a set number of breastfeeding counselling hours over a set period. In my case I had to demonstrate that I had spent 2500 hours supporting breastfeeding mothers before I was eligible to sit the exam. This has since been reduced to 1000 hours. In addition candidates for the exam have to complete 90 hours of lactation specific education. If they are not already a qualified healthcare professional (for example a nurse, midwife or doctor) candidates also have to complete 14 healthcare related courses. So this is a qualification which involves a lot of commitment in terms of time and typically costs a few thousand pounds to complete in order to fulfil the education requirements and cover the exam fee.

Once qualified IBCLCs are required to prove they have kept up to date every 5 years by submitting evidence of 75 hours of continuing professional development. There also used to be a requirement to resit the exam every 10 years but from 2022 this was scraped. I have sat the exam twice, once in 2009 and again in 2019.

IBCLCs come from a variety of backgrounds in medicine, nursing, midwifery and breastfeeding counselling. Most are women. But a few are men as there is no requirement to have breastfed yourself in order to be an IBCLC. It is the highest recognised qualification in breastfeeding and is recognised internationally.

The exam includes the following areas related to lactation: anatomy and physiology, endocrinology, biochemistry, nutrition, immunology and infectious disease, pathology, pharmacology, psychology, sociology, anthropology, research and ethics.

Lactation Consultants have specialist skills to support mothers and babies with the more complex issues such as prematurity, twins and multiples, sick babies and those with special needs, poor weight gain and low milk supply, sucking problems, tongue-tie and cleft palate.

Some IBCLCs work within the NHS and voluntary sector but the majority work privately as I do as there are very few opportunities in  the NHS and the value of IBCLCs and breastfeeding expertise in the UK health system is still not valued to the level it is in some other countries. Many people within the NHS and private sectors call themselves breastfeeding consultants or specialists but do not have the IBCLC credential. IBCLCs are regulated by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and have to follow a strict code of conduct. You can check that the person supporting you is an IBCLC on the IBLCE register at this link https://iblce.org/public-registry/

As an IBCLC I can offer parents antenatal consultations to prepare for breastfeeding and early parenthood as well as support with feeding after the birth. As an expert in infant feeding I can also offer training to other breastfeeding supports and healthcare professionals.

I offer clinic consultations at

Burwell (near Newmarket and Cambridge) – The Maltings, High Street Burwell, CB25 OHB. Free parking on site.

Somersham (Huntingdon) – Harding Physiotherapy, 20 West Newlands, Somersham, PE28 3EB. Free parking outside clinic and on the road. http://www.hardingphysiotherapy.co.uk/

I also offer consultations in the home (for clients within 30 miles travelling distance of  Ely) when I have capacity. The area covered  for home visits includes Cambridgeshire, West Suffolk (Newmarket/Mildenhall/Bury St Edmunds area)or West Norfolk  (Downham Market/King’s Lynn/Swaffham area). 

I am currently not offering home visits.

  • Online consultation for breastfeeding assessment and support £75
  • Clinic consultation for breastfeeding assessment and support £120
  • Clinic follow up consultations £50
Baby latched onto mother's breast