It takes a little time for some women to learn the process of nursing, and lactation consultants help provide new mothers the education and support they need. Lactation consultants educate mothers before and after the baby is born, assist with positioning, and teach them how to get the baby to latch on properly to prevent sore nipples and other problems.
Lactation consultants can also advise new moms after they go home.
The first time I tried to breast feed Tobi, my first born, I had difficulty getting him to latch on. The more we tried, the hungrier he became and the more he cried. And the more anxious I became. A nurse came in and, noticing my panic, asked if there was something wrong. I explained that I had read about the different ways you could hold a baby and that was one.