Lactation Counseling
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for infants the first six months of their lives. Yet sometimes, this very natural process doesn’t come so easily to nursing moms. In fact, there are many common hurdles that can occur –not enough breast milk, inability to latch, blocked milk ducts, breast engorgement, and other nursing issues– that lead to stress for both mom and baby.
If you are struggling, a lactation counselor can be an invaluable resource to answer questions, give advice, and help troubleshoot breastfeeding problems. Lactation counselors can help you find the way to breastfeed that works best for both you and your baby to increase your chances of success.
Common red flags that may indicate you need a lactation counselor:
- Infant is fussy and never seems satisfied after feedings
- Coughing and/or gagging during feedings
- Feedings last longer than 30-45 minutes
- Poor or slow weight gain
- Newborn feeds less than eight times in a 24-hour period
- Infant feeds “all the time” – more than 12 times in a 24-hour period
Monkey Mouths has lactation counseling available in our Hurst and Frisco locations.
Rhonda Wilson, M.S., CCC-SLP, CLC, ASDCS
Rhonda is both a certified speech-language pathologist and a lactation counselor. As a mother herself, she understands how stressful it can be when babies have difficulty eating and how it can affect the entire family dynamic. By using her expertise, Rhonda helps improve a mom’s chances of breastfeeding for as long as the mother chooses. Rhonda works in our Hurst location.
Ally Goar, PhD., CCC-SLP, CLC, ASDCS
Ally is both a certified speech-language pathologist and a certified lactation counselor. Ally has over 7 years of experience working in the NICU. She has specializations in developmental care through the National Association of Neonatal Nursing, She is also a certified Neonatal Touch and Massage Therapist, a Certified Neonatal Therapist with Neonatal Therapy National Certification, and also Certified–Extremely Low Birth Weight. Ally works in our Frisco location.