quick clicks

babies today articles

babies today q&a

toddlers today articles

toddlers today q&a

breastfeed.com articles

breastfeed.com q&a

community & groups

research baby names

prepare a birth plan

content channels

ip channel rss feeds

read birth stories

read parenting stories

recommended books

e-newsletters

safety recalls

ip diaries

ip store

mom of the month

dad of the month

editor's letter

letters to the editor

Expert Q&A

	By Kelly Camden Certified Doula

I gave birth to my first child by cesarean section. We had trouble breastfeeding due to being separated and the drugs in my system after the birth. I quit after only a week. I have been very sad about that. I am pregnant again, and I have enlisted the help of a practice of midwives to have a VBAC. I also plan to have contact with a local lactation consultant. My midwives also work with a doula. They tell me that a doula can help ensure breastfeeding success. I know they can help with the delivery, but how does a doula help with breastfeeding? Isn't that what a lactation consultant is for? Do they do different things? I hate to pay the extra money if it's redundant help. Thank you.

Doulas can and do help with breastfeeding, particularly right after the birth. Because the doula is already present, she can be a great person to help you get started. Typically everyone in the birth room, except the doula, has a list of things that they need to do following a birth. Doulas are there during the first hour after birth and can encourage everyone in the room to get Mom and Baby back together as soon as possible. Doulas can help a mother with positioning and getting the baby latched on to the breast.

In addition, a doula will be with you at 2 a.m., but a lactation consultant will not. Doulas typically work with one family at a time, whereas the lactation consultant has a list of mothers to visit when she comes to work in the morning. Lactation consultants usually hold office hours, like 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. If you have your baby outside of those times, then you will need to put your name on a list and wait to be seen. Once you get home, a doula can typically come to your home, but a hospital lactation consultant is not likely to do so. Check with independent consultants for home visits.

Things to consider:

• Talk to your local doulas about their experience level with helping women breastfeed. Some doulas are not mothers or may not have a lot of experience with lactation support. When you find a doula that feels like a good match, tell her about your situation. She may be able to work with you.
• As for the cost, some doulas are willing to make special arrangements for payment, such as sliding scales or payment plans. Also, you might look for a new doula that may charge less for her first few births.
• It is true that common interventions, such as IV fluids, medications, cesarean birth, and mother-baby separation can interfere with breastfeeding. Therefore, it seems that the best-case scenario would be that you would hire a doula for your labor and for breastfeeding. Statistics show that with the help of a doula, labor, birth and breastfeeding take place with fewer interventions.
• When you arrive at the hospital, ask for the nurse who is most "into" natural birth and helping mothers breastfeed. When the baby is born, ask to be put on the list to see the lactation consultant, even if you're not sure that you will need further assistance. That way, if something comes up, you are already on her list.

View more Q&A by this Expert