What Does a Lactation Consultant Do? An IBCLC Explains

If you've ever wondered whether you need a lactation consultant — or what exactly would happen if you booked one — this is for you.

A lot of moms reach out to us after weeks of struggling, wishing they'd called sooner. Others aren't sure if their situation "qualifies" for professional help. And some just genuinely don't know what a lactation consultant actually does during a visit.

Let me answer all of that — honestly and practically.

What Is a Lactation Consultant?

A lactation consultant is a healthcare professional who specializes in breastfeeding and human lactation. The gold standard credential in this field is the IBCLC — International Board Certified Lactation Consultant — which requires extensive clinical training, a rigorous international board examination, and ongoing continuing education to maintain.

We assess two patients: the mother and the infant. A mother's breast and overall health, and the infant's ability to feed and overall health. That overall health picture is what makes each mother-baby dyad unique and different — and what requires an expert lens.

Not everyone who calls themselves a lactation consultant holds the IBCLC credential. Lactation counselors, peer counselors, and breastfeeding educators can provide valuable support — but they have less clinical training and are not equipped to assess and manage complex breastfeeding challenges. When you're dealing with a real problem — pain, low supply, a tongue tie, a baby who isn't gaining weight — you want an IBCLC.

All Lactation Loop consultants are board-certified IBCLCs, each with a unique background varying from nursing, speech, nutrition, psychology, teaching, and more. With this diverse a team, we are able to offer the very best care — which is why we pride ourselves as a collective of experts.

What Does a Lactation Consultant Actually Do?

The short answer: we review your health history, assess milk production, watch you feed your baby, figure out what's going well and what's not working, educate you, and give you a specific, personalized plan.

Here's what a typical Lactation Loop visit looks like from start to finish:

1. We start with your history

Before we observe a feed, we want to understand your full picture — your birth experience, how the first days of feeding went, what's been challenging, what you've already tried, your baby's weight history, any medical history for you or baby that might be relevant, and what your breastfeeding goals are.

This intake process matters. A lot of breastfeeding challenges have roots that aren't obvious from just watching a feed. Understanding your story helps us connect the dots.

2. We observe a full feeding

This is the core of what we do. We watch your baby latch, assess the quality of the latch, observe the feeding pattern, listen for swallowing, and assess your comfort throughout. We're looking at things like:

✔ Is the latch deep enough? Is baby getting enough breast tissue in their mouth?
✔ How is baby's tongue moving? Are there signs of restricted movement (tongue tie)?
✔ Is baby effectively transferring milk or mostly flutter sucking?
✔ Are you experiencing pain? Where and when?
✔ How is baby's body positioned? Is their airway clear?
✔ Is baby showing signs of swallowing milk or just going through the motions?

3. We do a weighted feed

In most in-person visits, we weigh your baby before and after the feeding on a precise digital scale to measure exactly how much milk baby transferred during that session. This is one of the most valuable pieces of data we collect — it tells us definitively whether baby is getting milk, and how much, rather than leaving you to guess.

4. We assess you

We're not just looking at your baby. We're looking at you too — your nipple shape and condition, signs of engorgement or infection, flange fit if you're pumping, and anything else that might be affecting your comfort or supply.

5. We give you a specific plan — not just advice

This is where we're different from a Google search or a well-meaning friend. After observing your feed and putting together the full clinical picture, we give you a written, personalized care plan — specific to you and your baby, based on what we actually observed. Not generic tips. Not a one-size-fits-all handout.

Your care plan might include positioning adjustments, latch technique changes, a pumping schedule, a supplementation protocol, a recommendation for a tongue tie evaluation, or a follow-up visit. Whatever your situation needs.

6. We document everything

After every Lactation Loop visit, your IBCLC completes detailed medical chart notes documenting your newborn education, breastfeeding education, feeding observations, weighted feed results, and your care plan. You receive full access to your records through our secure patient portal — easy to share with your pediatrician, OB, or any other member of your care team.

What Can a Lactation Consultant Help With?

The range is much broader than most moms expect. Here's what we commonly see:

Latch and positioning problems
Painful nursing, shallow latch, clicking sounds, nipple damage, and compression marks are all signs that something needs to be adjusted. Most latch problems can be significantly improved in a single visit with hands-on guidance.

Low milk supply
True low supply is less common than perceived low supply — but both are real and both need assessment. We help you determine whether supply is actually low, identify the cause, and build a plan to increase it through nursing frequency, pumping, or other strategies.

Oversupply and fast letdown
Too much milk causes its own set of problems — a choking, gassy, uncomfortable baby, recurrent clogged ducts, and mastitis. We help you manage an overactive supply safely without crashing it.

Tongue tie and lip tie (TOTS)
Tethered oral tissues are one of the most common and most misunderstood causes of breastfeeding difficulty. An IBCLC can assess your baby's oral function and tongue mobility, help you understand whether a tie is affecting feeding, and coordinate with a provider for evaluation and treatment if needed.

Engorgement, clogged ducts, and mastitis
These breast health issues are painful and can escalate quickly. An IBCLC can help you manage them correctly — and more importantly, help you identify why they're happening so they don't keep coming back.

Pumping support
Flange sizing, pumping schedules, power pumping, building and maintaining supply while back at work, exclusive pumping plans — all of this falls squarely in an IBCLC's wheelhouse.

Newborn weight concerns
If your baby isn't gaining weight well, an IBCLC is one of the most important members of your care team. We can assess the feeding, measure milk transfer, identify what's getting in the way, and help you build a plan to support weight gain while protecting your milk supply.

Prenatal breastfeeding preparation
You don't have to wait until you're struggling. A prenatal consultation before your baby arrives means you start breastfeeding with realistic expectations, a solid foundation of knowledge, and a plan for the early days. Moms who have a prenatal consult tend to have an easier time in the first weeks.

Returning to work
Going back to work while breastfeeding requires planning — a pumping schedule, supply management, storage guidelines, and strategies for maintaining your nursing relationship. We help you build that plan before you need it.

Weaning
When you're ready to wean, an IBCLC can help you do it gradually and comfortably — protecting your breast health and supporting both you and your baby through the transition.

When Should You See a Lactation Consultant?

The honest answer: sooner than you think. Most moms wait too long.

You should consider booking a lactation consultation if:

✔ Breastfeeding is painful — ever, at any point during a feed
✔ Your baby isn't gaining weight well
✔ You're worried your supply is too low or too high
✔ Your baby is consistently fussy at the breast, pulling off, or clicking
✔ You've been told your baby might have a tongue tie or lip tie
✔ You're dealing with clogged ducts or mastitis — especially recurring
✔ You're going back to work and don't have a solid pumping plan
✔ You just want someone to watch a feed and tell you everything looks good
✔ You're pregnant and want to prepare before baby arrives

That last one is worth repeating: sometimes moms just want reassurance that things are going well. That is a completely valid reason to see an IBCLC. You don't have to be in crisis to deserve professional support.

Does Insurance Cover a Lactation Consultant?

In most cases, yes. Under the Affordable Care Act, most commercial insurance plans are required to cover lactation support services — often at no cost to you. This includes in-home visits, in-office visits, and virtual consultations.

Lactation Loop accepts Aetna, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare (UHC), UMR, Meritain, Anthem, Wildflower, The Lactation Network, and Curative. We verify your benefits before your visit so there are no surprises. Many families find their visits are fully covered.

What's the Difference Between In-Home, In-Office, and Virtual Visits?

In-home visits
Your IBCLC comes to you — in your home, in your nursing space, watching a real feed in real life. This is often the most valuable format because we can see your actual setup, your feeding space, and how feeding works in your natural environment. No packing up a newborn. No travel. Just expert support delivered to your door.

In-office visits
You come to us at one of our clinic locations. In-office visits are ideal for families who want a dedicated clinical environment, have a busy household where an in-home visit might be distracting, prefer a reduced fee if insurance doesn't cover in-home visits, or want to be co-located with other specialists — like our Ann Arbor, Michigan location inside Blossom Pediatric Dentistry, where we work alongside the TOTS team.

Virtual visits
Virtual lactation consultations are more effective than most people expect. Via video, we can observe a latch, assess positioning, review pumping output and schedules, answer questions, and build a care plan — all without you leaving home. Virtual visits are available nationwide.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does a lactation consultant visit last?
Most in-home and in-office visits last 60 to 90 minutes. Virtual visits are typically 45 to 60 minutes. This gives us enough time to take a thorough history, observe a full feeding, complete a weighted feed, assess both you and your baby, and build a care plan together.

Do I need a referral to see a lactation consultant?
No referral needed. You can book directly at lactationloop.com or by calling 941-254-2502. We'll verify your insurance benefits before your visit.

How many visits will I need?
That depends on what we find. Many families see significant improvement after one visit. Others benefit from follow-up appointments to track progress, especially for weight gain concerns, tongue tie follow-up, or supply building. We'll give you an honest recommendation based on your specific situation.

What should I bring to my lactation consultation?
If coming in-office, bring your baby, a diaper bag with a change of clothes for baby, and your insurance card. If doing an in-home visit, we'll bring everything we need — including a scale for a weighted feed. For virtual visits, have your baby and your pump nearby.

Can I see a lactation consultant before my baby is born?
Absolutely — we recommend it. A prenatal consultation is one of the best investments you can make in your breastfeeding journey. We cover your feeding goals, what to expect in the first days, how to get a good latch, how to tell if your baby is getting enough, what normal newborn feeding looks like, maternal health history, any notable barriers, flange sizing and pump use — basically how to set yourself up for success from day one.

What if breastfeeding isn't working and I need to supplement?
A good IBCLC supports your goals — not a rigid ideology. If supplementation is medically necessary, we help you supplement in a way that protects your milk supply and your breastfeeding relationship as much as possible. We're here to help you feed your baby and meet your goals, whatever those look like.

Book a Visit with a Lactation Loop IBCLC

Lactation Loop's board-certified IBCLCs serve families across all 50 states — with in-home, in-office, and virtual lactation consultations available in Michigan, Florida, Texas, New York, North Carolina, and Indiana.

Most major insurance plans accepted — most families pay $0.

Don't wait until you're desperate. Don't wait until you're ready to quit. Call us when it's hard — that's exactly what we're here for.

Book an appointment: lactationloop.com/services
Call us: 941-254-2502

Related reading: