For families who choose to provide their babies with breastmilk, whether exclusively or in combination with formula, Doulas of Berks County has Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs) prepared to help you achieve your feeding goals. Our Certified Lactation Counselors can assess baby's latch, help you have better success with breastfeeding when teaching you to recognize early feeding cues, or even initiate feeding your baby at the breast if this is your goal but not something you have tried or feel confident about.
Doulas of Berks County knows that while conventional wisdom says that it's normal for breastfeeding to hurt in the early weeks, pain actually indicates a problem, and is usually something that can be easily corrected with the appropriate guidance from your certified lactation counselor.
Our Certified Lactation Counselors are skilled with special circumstances, such as preemie and low birth weight babies, breastfeeding multiples, breastfeeding after cesareans, and infant frenulum ties. In cases which additional support is needed, your Certified Lactation Counselor has resources in place for referrals. We also recognize that every infant is unique. Sometimes experienced parents are shocked to have a baby who has difficulty feeding; our support can help these families achieve the feeding relationship they desire.
All of the Certified Lactation Counselors with Doulas of Berks County are trained and certified meeting The Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP) requirements. A Certified Lactation Counselor can provide knowledge and counseling about optimal and sub-optimal breastfeeding. Research has shown that the eduction required of CLC's prior to certification is associated with improved breastfeeding outcomes.
