What is a lactation consultant? Role, cost & how to find one

What is a lactation consultant?

A lactation consultant (LC) is a trained professional who helps with breastfeeding and chestfeeding, from latch and milk supply to pumping and weaning. An LC might meet with you before birth to prepare for feeding, at the hospital to assist during the first hours and days postpartum, or later at home — or virtually — to work through any challenges and meet your feeding goals.

Key takeaways

Beyond covering the basics of breastfeeding and chestfeeding, lactation consultants offer hands-on, personalized support, observing feeds, adjusting your hold, introducing bottles, and easing your transition back to work.
Lactation counseling can start before birth. Prenatal consults give parents a chance to anticipate (and overcome) any hurdles and feel prepared for their first days of feeding.
Not all lactation consultants have the same level of training. IBCLCs have completed college-level coursework, 90+ hours of lactation-specific education, and hundreds of hours of supervised clinical care. CLCs and peer counselors have less extensive training but are still great resources for day-to-day feeding support.
Under the Affordable Care Act, most health plans cover breastfeeding support, counseling, and equipment with no cost-sharing.

What does a lactation consultant do?

A lactation consultant guides parents through every phase of feeding, from first latch to final wean.

Before birth, LCs can explain how milk is made, what newborn feeding looks like, how to recognize hunger cues, how labor and delivery affect supply, and what you might need to pump or bottle feed once your baby comes.

After birth, a lactation consultant will learn about your feeding goals and listen to any concerns you have. Typically, they observe a feeding session to evaluate latch and positioning. They might also do a weighted feed — weighing your baby before and after breast or chestfeeding — to make sure they are getting an adequate amount of milk.

LCs can troubleshoot common issues such as a painful latch or pumping difficulties. They can also design a feeding schedule that works for you and your baby. And, when you’re ready, they can help you gradually reduce feeds and manage discomfort during weaning.

Emotional support is part of a lactation consultant’s work, too. Sometimes that looks like reassurance, “Everything looks normal!” Other times, it means recommending additional support from a pediatrician, OB-GYN, or other specialist if something doesn’t feel right.

Lactation consultant appointments take place in a hospital or clinic, at home, or via a telehealth platform. Virtual visits can make it easier to get timely support, especially when you’re in the newborn phase, and emerging research suggests telelactation might improve feeding outcomes and parent mental health.

In a study conducted at UMass Chan Medical School, participants who completed three or more telelactation visits breastfed for roughly 16 weeks longer than those who had none — and reported fewer symptoms of anxiety and depression.

Types of lactation support: IBCLC, CLC, and peer counselors

Like other pregnancy providers, lactation consultants come with a range of credentials, each signifying a different level of training.

International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLC)

IBCLC is the most rigorous credential, and it’s recognized around the world. To become board-certified, someone must complete:

14 health science courses (or have already been recognized as an IBLCE healthcare professional)
95 hours of lactation education, including five hours solely focused on communication
Several hundred (between 300 and 1,000) hours of clinical work under supervision

Then, they have to pass the IBCLC examination.

Because of their breadth of experience and expertise, IBCLCs are your go-to for complex challenges related to breast or chestfeeding, such as tongue-tie, pain, or chronic low milk supply. You’ll usually find IBCLCs in clinics and hospitals, though some have their own private practice.

Certified Lactation Counselors (CLC)

A CLC has to complete 95 hours of training based on the WHO/UNICEF Breastfeeding Counseling Training Course and pass the CLC Examination put forth by the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP).

They are a great resource for learning how to feed, answering everyday questions, offering encouragement and positioning tips, and referring you to more specialized care when needed. You’ll find CLCs in hospitals, OB and pediatric offices, and other public health programs.

Peer counselors

Peer counselors are parents in your community who have breastfed themselves. They complete between 20 and 30 hours of training (the exact number varies by state) at their local Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) clinic and share advice for building a support system at home, making feeding more comfortable, and boosting milk supply.

When should you see a lactation consultant?

Most people assume lactation consultants only address feeding problems that arise after birth, but you can see a lactation consultant at any point in your pregnancy journey.

In fact, meeting with an LC during pregnancy can be particularly beneficial if you have concerns about your personal anatomy (prior breast surgeries, for example) or have experienced feeding issues with another child. Even if you just want to talk through what to expect, a prenatal visit can help you:

Identify and prepare for potential challenges, like flat or inverted nipples
Get accurate breast pump flange sizing so pumping isn’t painful
Start hand-expressing colostrum, if your doctor recommends it
Feel more prepared for your first few days of breast or chestfeeding

After birth, most hospitals will have an LC on staff to come by and check your baby’s latch, adjust your hold, and teach you breast compression for continued milk flow. Consider booking additional at-home or telehealth visits with an LC if you notice your baby is having difficulty latching, not gaining weight, or you experience:

Low milk supply (or oversupply)
Plugged ducts or engorgement
Nipple or breast pain
General uncertainty about how feeding is going
Questions about pumping or bottle feeding

How much does a lactation consultant cost, and is it covered by insurance?

Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, most families pay little to nothing out of pocket for lactation consultants. Non-grandfathered health insurance plans must cover breastfeeding support, counseling, and equipment with no cost-sharing.

That said, health plans do differ in the type of pumping equipment they cover (manual versus electric, new versus rented), when pumps arrive (before or after birth), and whether pre-authorization is required. A handful of states — Illinois, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania — mandate insurance coverage for home visitation, which can include breastfeeding education and support.

If your lactation consultant insurance claim gets denied, there are steps you can take to appeal it:

Ask for a written explanation of benefits (EOB) that spells out why it was rejected.
Check your name and member ID number. There might be a typo, or your claim may have been incorrectly filed under your baby’s name.
Confirm your lactation consultant was in-network. If your plan can’t provide an in-network LC within a 60-minute drive of your home, request a gap exception.
Get an itemized receipt from your lactation consultant (it should list diagnosis codes).
Submit this bill and a request for gap coverage in writing to your insurance provider. Your portal should have instructions for doing so.

If your insurance company rejects your appeal, escalate your complaint to your state’s department of insurance and department of managed care. For any other coverage issues, call the National Women’s Law Center’s free “CoverHer” hotline, which will connect you with resources for your situation.

How to find a lactation consultant

Your OB-GYN, family physician, and pediatrician can all refer you to LCs they trust. Check your hospital network, too. They often have LCs on staff, and may even offer free discharge follow-ups or phone support.

To avoid surprise copays, double-check that any LC referrals you get are accepted by your insurance network. If you specifically want an IBCLC, you can verify an LC’s credentials on the Public IBCLC Certification Registry.

If the consultant you want to see does not accept your insurance, expect to pay between $100 and $200 per session (or more, for in-person visits). In some cases, you might get partial coverage for out-of-network providers, so request a bill from your consultant to submit for reimbursement.

Lactation support when you return to work

Going back to work is one of the most stressful transitions postpartum. Lactation consultants make it easier by:

Figuring out how much milk your baby needs while you’re apart
Putting together a pumping schedule that fits your workday and commute
Introducing bottles and combination feeding
Monitoring supply as your routine changes

Booking a few LC visits ahead of your return-to-work date can give you time to get comfortable with your pump, practice your routine, and make some tweaks before you’re balancing deadlines and meetings with feedings.

As a reminder, you have a right to lactation accommodations at work. The federal PUMP Act provides protections for nursing employees, including access to a private, non-bathroom space and paid break time. See our guide to lactation benefits at work (plus an overview of the PUMP Act) to understand what your employer is legally required to provide, and ask your HR team for a more detailed look at your employer’s policies.

Frequently asked questions

Are lactation consultants nurses?

No, not necessarily. Many lactation consultants come from a healthcare background, but the LC role is defined by a credential (e.g., IBCLC), rather than a nursing degree.

Do lactation consultants help with bottle feeding?

Yes. LCs focus on breastfeeding and chestfeeding, but most consultants also assist with bottle feeding. They share paced bottle feeding techniques, recommend specific nipple types, and explain how to safely store pumped milk for the workday or longer separations.

What’s the difference between a lactation consultant and an IBCLC?

“Lactation consultant” is an umbrella term for professionals offering breastfeeding and chestfeeding support, including Certified Lactation Counselors and peer counselors.

An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) holds the most advanced lactation credential, earned through completing college-level health courses, 95 hours of lactation-specific education, and hundreds of hours of supervised clinical care. So while IBCLCs are lactation consultants, not every lactation consultant is an IBCLC.

Get support through Carrot

Employees shouldn’t have to piece together lactation care on their own. Carrot gives employees unlimited virtual access to lactation consultants they can speak with at any time — the week before birth, the morning after a rough night of feeding, or the Sunday before they head back to the office.