If feeding your baby has been hard, you have not failed. You are not doing it wrong. You are not someone for whom breastfeeding "just doesn't work." You are a person navigating one of the most physically and emotionally demanding things the human body does — with very little preparation, often very little sleep, and probably far less support than you deserve.

That's what we are here for. In addition to being a chiropractor and acupuncturist, Dr. Caroline is also an IBCLC — an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. We want to explain not only why that credential matters, but also all the different ways and moments when you can reach out for lactation support. Because it's not just for when things have gone badly wrong. It's for the whole journey.

First: what is an IBCLC, and why does it matter?
Not all lactation support is the same. There are peer counselors, lactation educators, certified lactation counselors (CLCs), and IBCLCs. The level of training and credentialing is very different across those titles.

An IBCLC is the gold standard of lactation care. Earning the credential requires thousands of hours of clinical lactation experience, extensive coursework in health sciences and lactation-specific content, and a rigorous international board examination. IBCLCs are trained to assess and address complex feeding situations. They give more than just tips on latching, but a full clinical evaluation of the mom-baby dyad, including identifying oral anatomy concerns, assessing milk transfer, managing medical complications like mastitis or oversupply, and supporting medically complex infants.

What makes our practice particularly unique is that Dr. Caroline one of a very small number of providers who holds both a chiropractic doctorate and an IBCLC credential. That means when you come in with a feeding struggle, she's not just looking at the latch. She's looking at baby's whole body: how they're moving, where they're holding tension, whether something in their neck, jaw, or oral structure might be contributing to the challenge. This integrated lens changes what's possible.

So, when should you reach out for lactation support? (Psst... it's earlier than you think!)

Before baby arrives: antenatal guidance
This is one of the most underused forms of lactation support, and it's one of our favorites. A prenatal lactation consultation, what we call antenatal guidance, is a chance to learn what to expect in those first hours and days of feeding before you're sleep-deprived, touched out, and running on adrenaline. We cover how to establish milk supply in the early days, what a good latch looks like and feels like, how to tell if baby is getting enough, common early challenges and how to troubleshoot them, and how to set yourself up for a feeding relationship that actually works for your family. We also cover colostrum harvesting, fit you for pump flanges, and discuss the best ways for your partner to support your breastfeeding journey. 

Coming in before the baby arrives means you (& your partner) have time to absorb information, ask questions without urgency, and go into those early days with a foundation. It's one of the highest-return things you can do for your breastfeeding journey.

The first days and weeks: establishing supply and getting the latch right
If you're in the thick of the newborn feeding chaos and something doesn't feel right, whether the latch is painful, baby seems frustrated at the breast, you're not sure if they're getting enough, or you're already supplementing and not sure you wanted to, please reach out. Early intervention in the first days and weeks is almost always more effective than waiting to see if things resolve on their own. Dr. Caroline always reserves a few slots each week for "emergency" lactation appointments for these exact cases. So if our next available is more than a few days away, reach out!

Mastitis and breast infections
Mastitis, aka inflammation of the breast tissue, is often accompanied by infection and is one of the most common reasons women stop breastfeeding before they intended to. It's painful, it's exhausting, and it can feel like your body is working against you. It doesn't have to mean the end of your feeding journey. An IBCLC can help you manage mastitis effectively: optimizing drainage, identifying what might have caused the blockage (positioning, latch, oversupply, anatomical factors), and helping you recover while protecting your supply. Dr. Caroline also has a therapeutic ultrasound machine in office, which uses high-frequency sound waves to reduce inflammation, clear blocked milk ducts, and relieve pain associated with the mastitis spectrum. We also may coordinate with your OB or midwife regarding antibiotic treatment when necessary.

Supply concerns (both too little and too much)
Low milk supply is one of the most feared outcomes for breastfeeding moms, and also one of the most misdiagnosed. Many women who believe they have low supply actually don't; they're interpreting normal infant behavior (frequent feeding, fussiness, cluster feeding) as evidence that baby isn't getting enough. A thorough IBCLC assessment, including a weighted feed with our extremely precise infant scale, can give us real data about how much baby is getting rather than anxiety-driven guesswork.

Oversupply is the less-discussed flip side, and it comes with its own significant challenges: forceful letdown, a baby who is gassy, fussy, and hard to settle at the breast, and a mom who is engorged and uncomfortable more often than she should be. This is very treatable, and it's absolutely worth getting support for.

Returning to work
The transition back to work is one of the most logistically and emotionally complex moments in a breastfeeding journey. Questions about pumping schedules, how to maintain supply while separated from baby, how to store and transport milk, how to navigate pumping at work, and how to manage the mix of feeding and pumping — all of these are things an IBCLC can help you prepare for specifically, based on your job, your baby's age, and your individual milk supply.

Weaning
Whether you're weaning because it's the right time for your family, because you're returning to medication you need, because it's simply been long enough, or because the feeding relationship has run its course — how you wean matters for your comfort, your supply, and your emotional wellbeing. An IBCLC can help you wean gradually and gently in a way that protects your physical health and honors the significance of what you and your baby have shared.

What does a lactation visit at Simply Well actually look like?
We'll talk about your feeding history, your concerns, your goals. Dr. Caroline will observe a feeding: watching the latch, listening for swallowing, assessing baby's comfort and yours. She'll do a physical assessment of baby, including their ranges of motion, oral anatomy, and body tension. And then you'll talk about what she's seeing, what she thinks is contributing to the challenge, and what she'd recommend — both in terms of feeding adjustments and, where appropriate, chiropractic support to address any physical factors in baby's body that are making feeding harder.

You don't have to be struggling to reach out.
That's the message we most hope you take from this. Lactation support isn't only for emergencies. It's for any moment in your feeding journey when you want more information, more confidence, or more support. Wherever you are right now, whether you're planning ahead, struggling quietly in the middle of the night, or somewhere in between, there is a place for you here.

📍 Dr. Caroline Lathrop, DC, IBCLC is one of a small number of providers who holds both a chiropractic doctorate and IBCLC certification. She offers comprehensive lactation support at Simply Well Family Chiropractic in Toledo, Ohio, alongside chiropractic and acupuncture care.