When Your Last Lactation Consultant Let You Down: A Personal Journey to Better Care

The Problem That's Breaking Our Hearts

Picture this: A new mom, exhausted and struggling with breastfeeding, will scroll through TikTok for hours seeking advice from complete strangers. Yet when you suggest she see an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), she immediately shuts down. Sound familiar?

This heartbreaking reality stems from one devastating truth—the reputation of lactation consultants has been severely damaged by too many negative experiences. Moms are sharing stories of outdated practices, harsh bedside manner, inappropriate touching during "hands-on" assistance, and frankly, outright incompetence from people who should be their greatest allies.

My Own Wake-Up Call

I lived this nightmare firsthand. Two hospital lactation consultants and one private practice IBCLC failed me completely. Left to figure things out on my own, I spent countless hours scouring the internet, joining peer support groups, and trying everything I could find. Eventually, I managed to work things out with my first baby—but the cost was brutal. My nipples suffered so much damage and scarring that I'm honestly amazed I survived that breastfeeding journey at all.

When Good Intentions Go Wrong

My difficult experience turned me into that mom who jumps in to help others. Being let down by professionals only fueled my determination to support struggling families. I started helping run a popular pumping group before creating my own community.

In my eagerness to help, I began recommending two providers to moms who reached out. Only one was actually a trained professional. The other seemed helpful but became increasingly unreliable and questionable in her methods—methods that weren't evidence-based and weren't improving over time.

The Moment Everything Changed

Then the reports started flooding in. Mom after mom shared their struggles after seeing the provider I'd recommended. I was completely shocked and devastated. How could this happen when I was trying so hard to suggest the best help available? I immediately confronted both providers I'd been recommending. The one who couldn't meet my standards was cut from my recommendations. Only one remained—and here's the kicker that shouldn't have surprised me: the only provider who was truly helping families was the actual trained IBCLC professional.

The Humbling Lesson I Almost Missed

Even after this revelation, my stubborn streak nearly cost me again. When I had my second baby, I didn't rush to book with the good IBCLC. I thought I had everything figured out—what could I possibly gain from another consultation? Thank goodness I came to my senses by baby number three! That appointment became one of the most valuable investments I've ever made. Talk about curveballs—this pregnancy and postpartum period threw everything at me that I thought I knew out the window.

My IBCLC didn't just help with breastfeeding issues. She caught health concerns for both me and my baby that allowed us to get treatment much sooner than we would have otherwise. Her expertise extended far beyond what I ever imagined lactation support could be.

Hope for the Future of Lactation Care

This experience opened my eyes to something incredible: there are amazing IBCLCs out there working tirelessly to completely transform the standard of lactation care. My consultant, Jessica Anderson of Genuine Lactation, represents everything this profession should be—and thankfully, she's not alone. I'm now proud to be part of this movement for change, I completed my internship under Jessica's guidance. She's trained not only myself, but many other future lactation consultants who are committed to evidence-based, compassionate care.

Your Next Steps Matter

If you've been failed by a lactation consultant in the past, please don't give up on professional support entirely. Just like in every profession, there are practitioners working hard to elevate the standard of care—you just need to find them.

Right now, those of us working to transform lactation care are still outnumbered, but we're growing stronger every day. The future of breastfeeding support is bright, and families deserve nothing less than the best.

Need help finding a quality lactation consultant? Book a consultation with me or reach out in the Wearable Pump Paperweight Prevention group where we can connect you with providers who truly care about your success.

Your breastfeeding journey deserves professional support you can trust. Don't let past disappointments rob you of the help that's available—the right help is out there.