I have letters after my name.  When I sign something professionally, I get the honor of following my signature with 'IBCLC'.  Unfortunatley, people outside of the breastfeeding community, and many people inside that community, don't know what that means. 

When I wrote the exam, I published this post to explain why I had been so stressed but I wanted to go back and give some more detail.

An IBCLC is an International Board Certified Lactation consultant.  In order to use those letters you need to have completed certain steps to qualify to write the Board Exam, and then write and pass that exam.

Its a bit confusing, but there are 3 pathways you can follow to qualify to write the exam.  

Pathway 1 is for registered health professionals and lactation professionals.  So nurses, registered dietitians, doctors, la leche league leaders, people like that.  
You need to complete 14 health science courses, 90 hours of lactation specific education and 1000 hours of lactation specific clinical practice.

Pathway 2 requires that you complete a recognized academic program in lactation of which there are 6 choices.  The program must include a number of things but primarily, 90 hours of lactation specific education and at least 300 hours of lactation specific clinical practice.  Before you can take one of these courses, you also need to have completed the 14 health science courses or be a member of a registered health profession recognized by IBLCE.

In order to qualify under this pathway you need to find a mentor who is already an IBCLC, determine the criteria you're going to complete and then send in an application to IBLCE.  The criteria need to include a minimum of 500 hours of directly supervised lactation specific clinical practice.  

As an IBCLC, my job is to help you meet your breastfeeding goals.  It that means exclusive breastfeeding, then I will work as hard as I can to help you do that.  If you would prefer to combo feed (breast and bottle) then I will work as hard as I can to make sure you can do that for as long as possible.
Officially, an IBCLC is a health care professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding.  
I can help you figure out why it hurts, why it isn't working, or why it's changed from what it was before.  
IBCLC's work in hospitals, clinics, and we offer home visits.  

Before I qualified to write the exam, I completed approximately 750 hours working at the International Breastfeeding Center.  I worked with literally hundreds of breastfeeding/chestfeeding pairs to help them meet their goals, and I'd be happy to do the same with you.

Because of the unique nature of that clinic (www.ibconline.ca) I have had the privilege and honor of working with many unique challenges.  I've worked with parents from all over the world to help them with things like chronic blocked ducts, mastitis, not yet latching babies and other challenges.  If you're struggling with something, reach out!  Even if you've seen someone else, I may be able to help.  

Understanding breastfeeding and how babies respond starts with understanding that their is a difference between supply and flow.  The are certainly related, and they function with each other, but they aren't the same thing.

Pretty self explanatory.  Your supply is how much milk you have.  The quantity of milk available to your baby.  Your supply can change over the course of your breastfeeding relationship, and it needs to be well established pretty early on.
People talk a lot about supply.  They talk about over supply, and undersupply and often post pictures of freezers full of pumped milk with comments about how grateful they are for such a wonderful supply.

The thing is, how much milk is available to baby, doesn't actually dictate how much they get.  

Think of your supply as the amount of water available in this water tower.  There might be lots of water available and there might be very little, but up there in the tower it isn't accessible to anyone.  In order for your family to have access to the water, the tap needs to be hooked up properly and turned on.  If there is a problem with the plumbing, or the tap is only turned on a little, drinking water from that tap will be frustrating!

The flow is the speed that the milk comes out of the breast.  Flow changes over the course of the day and over the course of the breastfeeding relationship.  Babies can be VERY sensitive to flow.  They complain when it's to slow and complain when it's faster then they can handle.  And even though they can't talk, they will tell you when something is wrong with it. 
  

When your baby is latched on well, they can handle the flow that comes out of the breast.  They drink until the flow slows down and then they use their tongue and the latch to help trigger more milk.  
When the flow slows down, they tell you, either by falling asleep, or by just looking less satisfied at the breast.  They wiggle, pull and tug at the nipple, squirm, punch or pinch at the breast and sometimes bite to try and increase the flow.
If you do something to increase the flow (add a compression to make the space where the milk lives smaller, or switch sides) or do something to distract them from the slower flow (bum pats, bouncing, walking around) you can sometimes convince them to stay at the breast until it speeds up again.  

All to often, when working with clients who have been given breastfeeding advice by someone else, I hear something similar to this:

So many things wrong with this plan, not the least of which is, 
WHEN ARE YOU SUPPOSED TO ENJOY YOUR BABY?

But the one I want to focus on today is the timing part.

Lets play a game. 

I have invited you to dinner.  You come to my home, we chat for a bit, and then we sit down at the table.  (after I clear away all the toys, bills, random bits of art work etc.).  
'At our house, we have rules around meals'  I say.
'You can eat, as much as you want, BUT, you only get to eat for 20 mins'

Odd, you think.  That seems like a bit of a strange way to serve a meal.  But you're hungry, so you agree to it.

If you look at things with an adult in mind, they seem ridiculous.  Why do they make sense if we transfer them to a baby?

When we watch a clock and not a baby, we can come to conclusions about the clock. 
We can't say that the baby ate for 20 minutes.  We don't know that because we didn't see that.  What we can say, is that the baby was at the breast for 20 minutes.  We can probably say other things to, like the clock is red, or its a wrist watch, or it makes noise.  We might even be able to say things like 'the baby fell asleep'. 
We can make conclusions about where the baby was and how much time baby was there, but, we can't make any conclusions about how much the baby actually ate, just like we can't say you ate dinner because you sat at the table for 20 mins.
​
Sitting at the table doesn't mean we're eating.​  Falling asleep doesn't mean a baby is full.

Conversely, if we watch the baby, and not the clock, we can come to conclusions about the baby.  If we can identify when the baby is drinking as opposed to nibbling or resting, and we watch their behavior, then we know if the baby got enough milk or if they're still hungry.

If you need help learning how to tell that your baby is getting enough milk, reach out for help.  A good lactation consultant can help you identify drinks vs. sucks and pauses.  Once you know how to see that, you're off to the races!

Practically every night, for the last 7+ years, I have sat on the couch and breastfed a baby to sleep.  At some point during those evenings, I usually decide I'd like a cup of tea.  The problem is that since I'm trapped under a sleeping baby, I can't get up and make said cup.  So my wonderful, amazing, husband has done it for me.  Every night.  For 7+ years.  
I asked him to put the kettle on the other day and it occurred to me, that although as much as I love that he does this for me, and I'm sure he doesn't hate it, it is not likely something that he would do so consistently if I wasn't nursing.  
That got me thinking, there has to be some other benefits of breastfeeding that aren't listed on traditional channels.  Things that are happy outcomes that nursing mothers can take advantage of, but not benefits doctors or health care providers would promote. 
So here you go - My list of 11 Secret Benefits of Breastfeeding 

2.  Remember that whole 'eating for two' that happens during pregnancy?  In order to maintain pre-pregnancy weight while breastfeeding the recommendation is that you continue to eat an extra 300-500 calories each day.  That's basically an extra meal.  
Now, you can certainly choose to be health conscious, make good choices all that.  Or.....you can eat those calories in cookies and fancy coffee.  Totally your choice. 
​Just for reference, there are 45 calories in an Oreo cookie.  You know, for reference.

5.  No one likes wiping bums.  It's something we all do, because we have to, and if we didn't, things would smell.  But lets be honest, right from that first meconium poop, this is NOT something you're looking forward to.
Guess what?  It's really hard to wipe a bum when you're trapped under a nursing baby.  It's tricky to do for an older child still in diapers but also for one who is older and just not interested in doing it themselves yet.  Plus, you're doing all that work feeding the baby.  Your partner needs to help in some way!

7.  Math.  Or lack of math.  I am NOT a math person.  Never was, never will be.  I need a calculator to figure out basic equations.  Know what needs math?  Formula.  You need to figure out how much to water and formula you need for each bottle.  You need to plan how much to take when you're leaving the house.  You need to think!  Postpartum, I'm often lucky if I remember to put on pants, so just leaving the house with my baby is pretty much all I can handle.

9.  One of my favorite things about breastfeeding is doing it lying down.  It's so comfortable.  I don't need to hold anything, baby is happy, I'm comfortable.  And I'm lying down.  Lying down often leads to sleeping.  Sleeping is good.  Extra sleeping (especially when you're up all night?) AWESOME!

10.  Ask any parent, I'm pretty sure we all agree.  The worst time of the day?  Bedtime.  
Until your kids come and give you a kiss and tuck themselves into bed, bedtime SUCKS.  They want a story, and a glass of water and an extra trip to the bathroom and another cuddle, and can you just stay?  Will you lie with me until I fall asleep?  That story wasn't long enough.  Can I have another one?  He got a longer story than I did!  That's not fair.
And on and on and on it goes.
When you're breastfeeding though, you're often doing that while all of this is happening.  
You can maybe read a story, but tucking in?  Getting a drink?  That's up to someone else to do.  You're off the hook!

So that's it - my list of 11 secret benefits of breastfeeding.
Are there others I forgot?  Comment and let me know!  I'd love to know your thoughts!

1.  Try them on if you can.The only 'real' way you're going to know if something is comfortable is if you try it on.  Your best friend loves her carrier?  Borrow it and wear your baby in it for a while.  Wear her baby for a while too if that's possible - you're baby won't be this size and weight forever so you want to make sure it's something that will grow with you and continue to meet your needs.  
There are some brick and mortar stores that carry a lot of the popular brands so seek them out and go there to try them on, or, hire someone to come to your home if they carry a lot in their teaching stash.  Personally, I carry 6 brands with me, so will at least give you an idea of styles and features that you're looking for.​  Worst case - use this list to make an educated choice about the differences then try it on before you 'commit' to it.

2.  The height and structure of the waist band.
Some of the carriers have very stiff, tall waist bands and some are much shorter and softer to work with.  What is most comfortable for you will depend on things like the height of your torso, how high you wear you pants and the amount of padding around your middle.  Someone who has a shorter torso is going to prefer a stiffer, narrower waist band and someone with extra padding around the middle might like something a bit softer that doesn't dig as much.  Personally, I like a softer waist band - but I know a lot of my clients prefer the structure of the really stiff ones.  Even if you can't try before you buy, when you do get your carrier, pay attention to this feature before you commit (cut the tags off, wash it etc).    

3.  Padding on the shoulder straps
While you might think that more padding on the shoulder is going to make things more comfortable, in reality bulky padding might get in the way.  For most people there is a happy medium for padding - none is not enough but the bulkiest is to much.  Keep in mind, when you're baby is on, it's the waist and your back that are carrying the weight, not your shoulders, so even really padded shoulders aren't going to necessarily make things more comfortable.

4.  How do you tighten the shoulder straps?
Once you get your baby on, you need to be bale to snug everything down and get it tight.  Sometimes straps are tightened from the top of the attachment and sometimes it's from the bottom.  Some carriers allow tightening from both attachment points.  The different tightening motions use either your biceps or your triceps and what works better is all about personal preference.  

5.  Where does the waist do up?
Some waist buckles do up in the middle so that the buckle sits in the middle of your back.  Others do up more on the side so the buckle sits around your hip.  There are advantages and disadvantages to each.  If the buckle does up in the middle of your back and you are sitting for a long time with your baby on, the buckle might get irritating to your back.  In the same way, a buckle that does up on your hip, might get annoying if you're carrying a bag or your arm  in rubbing up against it while walking.  When using your carrier for a front carry, you are going to put the carrier on and then pick up your baby.  But on your back, depending on how you get your baby on, you may be contending with a baby while doing up the waist.  All these things are important to consider that when thinking about what you prefer.  

6.  Can you do up the top buckle without dislocating your arm?
Most soft structured carriers have two buckles, the waist buckle and the top buckle that stops the shoulder straps form falling of your shoulders.  The top buckle should move up and down to accommodate the different positions that it needs to rest in when carrying your baby on your front or your back.  The method that it moves up and down, and how easily you can do that when your baby is on your back is another important determining factor when you're deciding on a carrier.  Some carriers have a mechanism that allows this buckle to move up and down like a zipper.  For others its a strap that wraps around the shoulder strap and moves.  Other still have a ribbon down the middle of the shoulder strap and the buckle moves on that.  

 7.  Can you reach the hood straps while baby is on your back?
When baby is on your back, the primary function of the hood is to bring their head in against your back when they fall asleep.  Since most babies don't fall asleep before you put them up, or resist the hood until they are asleep, putting the hood on when baby first goes on your back isn't really going to work.  You want to be able to access the hood and use it if you are alone - if possible.  Some of the carriers have straps on their hood that are long enough to grab and others don't.  
A word of caution here - just like with car seats, aftermarket products that attach to carriers haven't been tested with the carrier and therefore can't really be considered safe.  

8.  Does this carrier have special features that work for you?
Each carrier has different 'special' features that make it unique.  Some brands have attachments like pockets or warmers or rain covers.  Others allow for different types of carries (front, back, forward facing, hip) or have different options that are designed to make them more comfortable.  Others still might change into something when you're not using it as a carrier or be designed for a specific use - like in the water.  Different options might work better in different circumstances so be careful - you could end up owning a lot of carriers!

9.  Are there features that don't work for you?
There are LOTS of options out there.  If you are looking and come across something that doesn't work, keep looking.  Chances are there is another carrier that doesn't do that, or one where that feature isn't as prominent.  

10.  Try them on
There are LOTS of options, so even if you can't 'try before you buy' don't be afraid to try and send it back.  Play with it, and see what you like and don't like.  You are potentially going to be wearing this a lot, so you want to make sure it's comfortable!

Still need help deciding?  Schedule a babywearing consult to learn more about the options available.

What do you like or not like about your soft structured carrier?
Leave a comment below!  And remember, sharing is caring!

If you ask, most people are willing to help you when you really need it - provided you don't take advantage.  It's hard to ask though, and it can be really hard to accept help from people.  Accept it though.  Especially if you're feeling burnt out.  Even an hour to go grocery shopping without kids in tow can be mind altering and enough to re-charge.
If you don't have people around, look for other ways to get help.  Our community centre used to have a drop off program where you could leave the kids for a couple hours and go to the store (or wherever).  The town now offers a Friday evening program that is AMAZING.  You can drop your kids off for 2 hours and go for dinner, or have dinner at home, or shop, or whatever.  Their are other similar programs out there - you just need to find them.  Use them.  They help!