Why Crowd-Sourcing Your Lactation Concerns is Not a Reliable Strategy

By Jennifer Hafele, M.Ed., IBCLC

It’s a little squirmy, honestly, but the health of babies and their lactating parents might depend on my not staying silent about this. So here we go, friends. Buckle up.

It’s not a reliable strategy, but I know why you crowd-source lactation concerns on social media and other places …

• To try to save money.
• Because you haven’t been adequately listened to by healthcare providers.
• To feel less alone.
• Because you don’t know what you don’t know.
• Because you trust other moms more than you trust anyone else.
• To get emotional validation.
• Because your past lactation visits may have been unhelpful.
• Because it’s the middle of the night and you don’t know where else to turn.
• And more.

I. GET. IT.

I really do.

But here’s why I cringe when I read your concerns and the “advice” that comes back to you.

GENERAL LACTATION ADVICE THAT APPLIES TO MOST / MANY PEOPLE’S CIRCUMSTANCES MAY NOT APPLY TO YOURS.

In fact, it might even go beyond questionable to ACTIVELY HARMFUL advice.

(We’ve determined why I can’t stay silent about this.)

Want a seemingly innocent example?

“Your milk supply seems low? Just keep breastfeeding! That’s how you increase it! Your baby at breast will stimulate your supply higher.”

Is this accurate?

For some people in some situations, yes.

For others, THIS SIMPLY DOES NOT or WILL NOT WORK.

Why not?

Well, there could be many things playing a role. Let’s throw out just a sampling of possibilities:

-baby not stimulating or removing milk adequately while breastfeeding
-hormonal concerns on lactating parent’s side
-retained placenta delaying mature milk ramp-up after birth
-oral restriction or other structural concerns on baby’s side
-digestive tract concerns on baby’s side
-baby falling asleep at the breast BEFORE getting full (very different than baby feeling satisfied and then snoozing at breast)
-inability to bring in adequate volume of milk to satiate baby
-underlying metabolic concerns on baby’s side
-medication interaction contributing to supply concern
-etc.
-etc.
-etc.

So … the bottom line here is that well-meaning people often give terrible lactation advice.

They don’t mean to.

They speak from their own experiences.

And the emotional validation part can be helpful.

But on a practical level, they often fail to recognize that not every case is identical to theirs.

This is why what you really need is an EXPERT who will LISTEN to you, has the training to KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR, will do the DEEP DIVE, and ensure that both you and your baby have what you need to THRIVE.

The lactation experts at Mama Bear can help.

Our lactation visits are truly FULL FUNCTIONAL ASSESSMENTS that look at you, your baby, and the two of you together. THE WHOLE PICTURE.

But if you don’t choose to work with us, that’s fine — just PLEASE don’t stop at a social media post.

Find another professional who has the expertise to look at the whole picture. (If they don’t, they should 100% be referring you to someone who can.)

Otherwise you run the risk of a failure-to-thrive baby — or God-forbid, worse. Not to mention the potential of a traumatic lactation journey.

ASK. ME. HOW. I. KNOW.

I teach parents how to supplement formula or donor milk while we work to bring up their own milk supply.

…

So, I cannot sit by and not say something about this. My ethics absolutely require me to do the brave thing regardless of how this post will be received.

Onward, friends. Sending you all the love and support on your infant-feeding journey.

~Jennifer