Four things to consider when adding a lactation consultant to your bereavement resource list
- 5 days ago
- 2 min read
A grief-informed lactation consultant is worth their weight in gold. Haven Doulas are required to find lactation consultants as part of their certification process. Here are six things to consider when finding lactation consultants to add to your bereavement resource list.
How do they approach lactation choices? Some lactation consultants are going to assume a family wants to stop lactating, while others may assume a family wants to continue lactating. At Haven, we strongly promote giving families the choice. If you ask a lactation consultant, "How do you approach a consultation for a family who has experienced the loss of their little one?," look for answers that underscore presenting the client with options or supporting them down multiple potential paths.
Do they have any training in perinatal loss? Once you've ascertained which lactation consultants are open to supporting families through different lactation decisions, ask if they have any training in perinatal loss. Someone who doesn't have training specifically in this area might still be a very helpful part of a client's care team, but having training can mean that they are less likely to cause unintended harm in the care of the client. (If a lactation consultant is looking for training, you can point them to Haven's 90-minute Lactation after Loss course, by lactation expert TaKiesha Smith and grief support expert Dr. Abby Jorgensen.)
What payment options do they have? Lactation consultants might be covered under client insurance, private pay, or nonprofit provision. Try to include that information on your resource list whenever possible so you can share that information with clients for whom it might make a difference.
When or how are they taking appointments? In-office visits at a lactation consultant's place of work can be overwhelming for folks who want to avoid seeing babies or images of babies. Find out if your grief-informed lactation consultant can provide home visits or is located in a space that might be less triggering for loss families. Some may even provide telehealth visits. Having a variety of options available for your clients makes it more likely that your client will be able to find the right lactation consultant for them.
Do you have any other recommendations for what to consider when adding lactation consultants to your bereavement resource list? If so, comment below!
