I didn’t know what a lactation consultant was until I badly needed one and didn’t know where to find one. That gap, between needing help and knowing what kind of help exists, is one of the reasons Nutura exists at all. So before we talk about anything else, let’s close that gap.
The short answer
A lactation consultant is someone trained specifically in the clinical, practical, and emotional side of breastfeeding, not a general baby expert, not a nurse doing this alongside twenty other things, but someone whose specific training is latch, milk transfer, supply, positioning, and the dozens of small mechanical and physiological things that can go right or wrong in feeding a baby. Certifications vary, you might come across CLC (Certified Lactation Counselor) or the more advanced IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) but the common thread is focused, dedicated training in exactly this.
What actually happens in a consultation
It usually starts with questions, more than you might expect, about your birth, your baby’s weight and feeding pattern so far, and what’s actually prompting the visit, pain, a worry about supply, a baby who seems unsettled at the breast, or simply wanting things checked before a small issue becomes a bigger one. Then, almost always, a consultant will watch you feed. This is the part that does the most work: latch problems, positioning issues, and subtle transfer difficulties are often invisible in a description but obvious within thirty seconds of watching a real feed happen.
From there, adjustments happen in real time, a different hold, a deeper latch, a change to how you’re supporting your baby’s body and you get to feel the difference immediately, in the same session, rather than being told what to try and hoping it works once you’re home alone. A consultation usually ends with a plan: what to keep doing, what to change, and what to watch for over the coming days, plus a way to follow up if things aren’t settling.
Reasons people book a consultation
Persistent nipple pain that hasn’t resolved despite trying to adjust the latch. A baby who seems to feed constantly and never settles, and the worry about whether that’s normal cluster feeding or something else. Concern about slow weight gain. A history of breast surgery or flat or inverted nipples, which sometimes need specific positioning strategies. Returning to work and wanting a realistic pumping and combination-feeding plan built before the transition, not improvised during it. Or simply wanting a second, expert set of eyes in the first week, the way you might want a check-up even when nothing feels obviously wrong.
None of these need to be a crisis before they’re worth booking. This is one of the most persistent misconceptions about lactation support, that it’s for emergencies only, when a lot of the most valuable consultations happen preventatively, in the first days, before small issues have had time to compound.
What it costs, and why it’s worth it
A single lactation consultation typically runs somewhere in the range of Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,500 in Mauritius, genuinely one of the most cost-effective investments available in the entire postpartum period, given what it can prevent: weeks of pain, a supply that dips because a fixable issue went unaddressed, or breastfeeding ending earlier than a mother actually wanted it to because the right two minutes of guidance never arrived at the right time.
What it’s not
A lactation consultant isn’t there to pressure you toward any particular feeding choice. Good lactation support meets you where you are, whether that’s exclusive breastfeeding, combination feeding, exclusively pumping, or working through a decision about whether to continue at all. The goal is an informed, supported choice, not a specific outcome imposed on you.
If this is you right now
If any part of the list above sounds familiar, that’s reason enough to consider a consultation, you don’t need to wait until things feel unmanageable. Nutura’s lactation consultations are launching soon; join the waitlist to be notified first, and to access the introductory rate when bookings open.
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Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace individualised assessment from a qualified lactation consultant or healthcare provider.