What led you to becoming a lactation consultant?
I have long been passionate about supporting people during the prenatal and postpartum period. I was a midwife for many years before the on-call toll became too much for me and my family. It felt natural to transition into lactation work and bring my knowledge of midwifery along for the ride. In my position, I get to work with my favorite population – parents and babies – all while using highly specialized, evidence-based knowledge and clinical skills to assess the feeding function of a dyad (parent + baby) and multifactorial feeding challenges. Lactation is really its own niche and that’s what got me into the field.
What did you find? most useful about your job?
The relationships I make with families. Even if they are short-lived, these relationships are intimate. I witness people in this truly special, vulnerable, and transformative time. I’ve always loved watching parents stand up and become experts on their babies. Parents often say something along the lines of “…he always does ____” – even if the baby is only days or weeks old, they feel like they’ve known them forever.
What is a message you share to any family about feeding their young children?
I want every parent I work with to know that I have no agenda for them. I think people often assume that a lactation consultant wants everyone to breastfeed, but I’m a radical supporter of each person’s specific feeding goals. That may mean you feed your baby by latching, bottles, or both. You can use your milk, donor milk, formula, or a combination of the three. My job is to give you the information and tools to make an informed choice and give you a clear road map to help you reach your goals.
Clients often reach out because they find it it hurts when breastfeeding – what are some words of encouragement you would offer families in this situation?
I want parents to know that there will be sensations involved with your baby’s attachment to your body. Especially if you’ve never done it before they’re really intense – but it shouldn’t be painful. No matter what happens, you should not be in a position of fear at every feeding due to pain. Discomfort is common but not normal. Contacting a lactation consultant can help you discover what are normal sensations and what are not. There are many things we can do to address the discomfort in the short term, but as much as possible I want to uncover the root causes so that latching can be enjoyable and sustainable.
We often get questions from parents like “how much should a 6 week old eat.” How do you approach helping parents answer that question for their particular baby?
There are general guidelines for how much each baby should drink depending on their age and size, but it can vary quite a bit from baby to baby. So, for me, the top priority is helping parents learn to read their babies’ hunger cues, fullness cues, and digestion cues. That’s a skill parents need to practice for every feed. Babies are people whose hunger varies just like adults do depending on their needs for each particular food. We don’t grow plants that we need to water a fixed amount. The nutritional needs of people are complex, and they change. The gold standard to know if you are giving your baby the right amount is to read their hunger and fullness cues at each feeding. When I teach some basic ways to read those cues, it’s fun for parents – and powerful, I think, to understand their babies this way.
Sometimes parents wonder what food helps in the production of breast milk. What do you share with parents about the role of nutrition in milk production?
I don’t care what people eat, honestly. I always tell people that I want them to eat good food and lots of it. Lactation is a time to treat yourself because you are working hard to feed someone else from your body. I don’t see nutrition being a make-it-or-break-it part of whether or not you make enough milk. This is different from what parents may hear or read from other sources, but in our current culture, many people are restricted in their diet during their pregnancy – so when they give birth, I want parents to eat whatever they sound and feel better in them. rather than following a specific diet. And I like to see them eat a lot – a breastfeeding parent should never feel hungry. I also found that people are smart about their bodies and generally good at taking care of themselves, so I didn’t feel the need to be overly involved in teaching about nutrition. That said, I always check in about appetite so I can offer additional support if needed.
In the case of a true low milk supply situation, I often hear from parents “I eat tons of oats and drink enough water…” but if there is a true supply issue, it’s usually more it’s either nutrition or something that parents don’t do. “doing the right thing.” Often there is an underlying cause that can be addressed with herbs and other modalities.
What advice do you have for parents in their reunion a pumping and breastfeeding schedule?
Schedule is a strong word when we talk about babies! Babies change and grow so fast that just when you think you have a schedule, it changes. The golden rule of breastfeeding is to feed on demand so you can meet your baby where they are at any given stage of development. With that said, I find that most parents find a rhythm that guides their days and nights. For parents who pump – either out of necessity or choice – my goal is to help them find the balance between pumping enough to meet their feeding and sleep prioritization goals and their mental and physical health. . Having good lactation and postpartum doula support may make it more feasible.
What are the the top three questions parents ask you?
Q: Why does it hurt when I pump?
A: Your flanges are too big!
Q: Is it normal for my baby to go a few days without pooping?
A: Usually, yes. Normally, no. Despite the myth that breast milk is so absorbent that breastfed babies don’t need to poop as often as formula-fed babies, everyone feels better when they poop every day! Baby digestive issues (stool, gas, spit up, reflux, etc.) is something that an experienced lactation consultant can help you with.
Q: What is the best bottle, pump, and pacifier brand to use?
A: It depends. These things are not usually one size fits all but are something that can be discussed during a lactation consultation.
You can read more about Melissa Curry and learn about Bridgetown Baby’s feeding support, from prenatal education to weaning your nursling, on the Bridgetown Baby website. If you need immediate support, you can contact our Feeding Warmline; administered by professional lactation consultants, you will receive a reply to your email within 24 hours with guidance for organizing the next steps in your feeding journey.
