I am a board-certified, registered lactation consultant and member of the International Lactation Consultants Association (ILCA), as well as the United States Lactation Consultant Association (USLCA).  I am the proud mother of 3 breastfed children and have been assisting breastfeeding mothers for more than 10 years and after much hard work, I became an IBCLC in 2004.  I have supported breastfeeding mothers and babies in many situations, including low milk supply, tongue-tie, mothers returning to work, adoptive mothers, mothers and babies struggling with latch issues, babies with special needs and multiples.  I love to work with moms in difficult situations that may seem unsolvable to others, so if you have been through other health care providers who have not been able to help with your difficult situation, give me a call. I constantly strive to stay current in breastfeeding research and am constantly gathering new information and techniques to assist breastfeeding mothers and babies.  

Deirdre Cannon, IBCLC, RLC

I became a La Leche League Leader in 2005 and became a board-certified lactation consultant in 2009.  I am the proud mommy of two beautiful breastfed boys. My first son was one very stubborn breastfed baby.  The struggles I had with him taught me a lot and gave me a desire to help other mothers in similar situations. As a result, I have been working with nursing moms for six years. Nursing was and is one of the most gratifying experiences in my life and I strive to help other moms have similar wonderful experiences. I have assisted moms in all kinds of situations from basic latch issues, low milk supply, returning to work, nursing multiples, and even just simple emotional support. Always keeping in mind that every nursing couple is different, I continuously strive to learn as much as I can to help moms and their nurslings.

What is a Lactation Consultant and Why Do I Need One?

A good analogy would be a Certified Mechanic.  Ever had car problems? Some people may be able to fix their cars on their own or they may have a friend that has worked on cars before that they can call for help.  However, if it is a complicated issue, or if a person wants or needs service that will give them the peace of mind that the job was done right, they would take it to a Certified Mechanic who can diagnose and resolve the problem.  That is how breast feeding works.  Many people are able to find answers to breastfeeding and nutrition questions on their own or they have friends that can give them advice. However, when mom needs sound advice and hands-on help that would require input from a qualified expert in the field of lactation, she would call a Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

The title “Lactation Consultant”  is not a protected title.  Anyone can use it.  So how do you know who is qualified to be YOUR lactation consultant?  To start with, look for the initials "IBCLC" - International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.  An IBCLC has had extensive training in breastfeeding and spent many hours counseling breastfeeding mothers before sitting for the rigorous IBLCE exam.  There are many wonderful sources of support in the community for basic breastfeeding issues and information, such as La Leche League, WIC Peer Counselors, friends and family who have breastfed, etc.  However, if you require more than basic breastfeeding support, a Lactation Consultant will offer professional breastfeeding assistance at a reasonable cost.

When might you call a lactation consultant? 

• if you are experiencing persistent nipple pain, cracked or blistered nipples
• if you have or suspect you may have a breast infection
• if baby is not able to latch
• if baby is not gaining an appropriate amount of weight
• if you have been told to supplement with formula but want to preserve breastfeeding
• if you want to develop a plan for returning to work
• if you need a quality, personalized prenatal breastfeeding class
• if you feel that breastfeeding is just not going well

A visit with a lactation consultant is generally cheaper than the cost of just one month of formula.  It is well worth the investment to seek the help that will allow you to continue to breastfeed, not only to save  the cost of formula, but also for the money you will save in doctor visits, dental care and the priceless emotional and psychological advantages of breastfeeding for both mom and baby. 

What if I've already seen an LC and my problems persist? 

When confronted with a problem, it is human nature to seek help. We don't usually seek help from just one friend though. We ask several people for their opinion and then try to find the best solution from the available suggestions. Our friends help us because they all look at our problem from different angles, a different expertise if you will. Lactation Consultants are similar. We all have different experiences in our background that help shape our knowledge base and specialties. Different LCs are able to offer different perspectives and often times a second opinion leads to new solutions. Breastfeeding problems are not always straight forward and are often multifaceted so many issues can be easily missed. Just because your problem persists does not mean breastfeeding is not possible for you; it just means maybe you need to add someone else to your troubleshooting team.