10 Signs It’s Time to Get Help
Bringing home a new baby comes with a lot of questions, and feeding can quickly become one of the biggest.
Is my baby getting enough milk? Is this latch supposed to hurt? Why does my baby keep falling asleep at the breast? Should feeding really take this long? Do I need help, or should I just give it more time? If you’re asking yourself these questions, you’re not alone. And you don’t have to wait until breastfeeding feels impossible before reaching out for support.
A lactation consultant can help with everything from preparing for breastfeeding before your baby arrives to troubleshooting painful feeds, milk supply concerns, pumping, bottle feeding, oral function, and more.
At Orlando Lactation and Newborn Services, our approach is a little different. Our providers are all Nurses who are also Lactation Consultants, so we look beyond the latch and feeding session. We look at the whole baby and the whole family.
Here are 10 signs it may be time to see a lactation consultant.
1. Breastfeeding Hurts
Some tenderness can happen as you and your newborn learn to breastfeed, but ongoing or significant pain shouldn’t simply be something you have to endure. Pain during breastfeeding can be related to positioning, latch, nipple damage, engorgement, oral function, or other feeding issues. A lactation consultant can observe an entire feeding, assess your baby’s latch and positioning, and help identify what may be contributing to the discomfort.
Quick answer: If breastfeeding is consistently painful, your nipples are cracked or bleeding, or you dread feeding because it hurts, it’s a good reason to reach out for lactation support.
2. You’re Worried Your Baby Isn’t Getting Enough Milk
This is one of the most common concerns we hear from new parents. Breasts don’t come with ounce markers, so it can be difficult to know exactly how much your baby is taking during a feeding. Signs that deserve a closer look can include concerns about weight gain, fewer wet or dirty diapers than expected, very sleepy feeds, difficulty staying latched, or a baby who never seems satisfied after nursing. A lactation consultation can help evaluate the feeding and determine whether additional support may be needed.
Because our team views babies through the dual lens of nursing and lactation, we’re also paying attention to your baby’s overall behavior and wellbeing, not simply whether they’re attached to the breast.
3. Your Baby Has Trouble Latching or Staying Latched
Does your baby repeatedly latch and unlatch? Become frustrated at the breast? Have difficulty opening wide enough for a comfortable latch?There are many reasons this can happen.
Sometimes a simple change in positioning makes a significant difference. Other times, we may need to look more closely at feeding mechanics, oral function, milk flow, or other factors.The goal isn’t just to make a latch look better. We want feeding to be comfortable and effective for both you and your baby.
4. Your Baby Clicks, Leaks Milk, or Struggles During Feedings
Clicking sounds, milk leaking from the corners of your baby’s mouth, coughing, gulping, or repeatedly losing suction can all be clues that it’s worth taking a closer look at feeding. These symptoms don’t automatically mean something is wrong, and they don’t point to one specific diagnosis. They do, however, give an experienced lactation consultant useful information about how your baby is managing feeding.
At Orlando Lactation, our nursing background is especially valuable when assessing babies who may need a more comprehensive look, including premature babies or babies with additional feeding challenges.
5. Feedings Are Extremely Long or Your Baby Is Always Hungry
Newborns feed frequently. Cluster feeding can also be completely normal, especially during certain periods.But if nearly every nursing session lasts a very long time, your baby regularly falls asleep before completing a feeding, or it feels as though feeding never really ends, an assessment can help determine what’s happening.
Sometimes the issue isn’t how often a baby feeds. It’s how effectively they’re transferring milk during those feeds.A lactation consultant can help you understand the difference.
6. You’re Concerned About Low Milk Supply
Milk supply is one of the biggest sources of anxiety for breastfeeding parents. Before assuming you aren’t making enough milk, it’s important to look at the complete picture. Your baby’s feeding patterns, milk transfer, latch, pumping routine, weight history, diaper output, your health history, and other factors can all matter.
Rather than relying on generic advice to “just pump more” or “drink more water,” individualized lactation support can help identify what may actually be affecting your situation and create a plan that works for you.
7. You Have an Oversupply or Very Fast Letdown
Having too much milk can create challenges too. Babies may cough, gulp, pull away, become fussy during feeds, or struggle to manage a strong milk flow. Parents may experience frequent engorgement, leaking, discomfort, or recurrent plugged areas. The right strategy depends on what’s happening for you and your baby. A lactation consultant can help you manage supply while protecting breastfeeding and keeping both you and your baby comfortable.
8. You Suspect Your Baby May Have a Tongue-Tie or Oral Feeding Issue
Parents often come to us after noticing symptoms such as a painful latch, clicking, difficulty maintaining suction, prolonged feeds, or concerns about milk transfer.
These signs can have many possible causes, which is why a thorough feeding assessment is so important.
Kristen L. Sorondo, RN, IBCLC, has advanced training in tethered oral tissues (TOTS) and extensive experience evaluating feeding challenges.
Our job isn’t to assume every feeding problem is a tongue-tie. It’s to carefully assess what’s happening, help you understand what we’re seeing, and guide you toward appropriate next steps when additional evaluation is warranted.
9. Your Baby Was Born Prematurely or Has Special Feeding Needs
Premature and medically complex babies can have unique feeding challenges.
They may tire more easily, have difficulty coordinating sucking, swallowing, and breathing, or experience oral weakness that makes feeding less efficient.
This is an area where having a provider who is both a Registered Nurse and Lactation Consultant can be particularly valuable.
Our team brings extensive nursing and newborn experience to every visit, allowing us to look at feeding as one part of your baby’s overall picture.
If something falls outside our scope or needs medical evaluation, we want to recognize that too.
10. You Simply Don’t Feel Confident About Feeding
You don’t need to have a “problem” to see a lactation consultant.
Sometimes you just need someone knowledgeable to sit beside you, watch a feeding, answer your questions, and tell you what looks good and what could be made easier.
You might want help preparing before your baby arrives. You might want reassurance after coming home from the hospital. You may be exclusively pumping, combination feeding, returning to work, introducing bottles, or trying to figure out a feeding plan that works for your family.
Those are all valid reasons to seek lactation support.
When Is the Best Time to See a Lactation Consultant?
You can see a lactation consultant before or after your baby is born, and you don’t need to wait until you’re experiencing a serious breastfeeding problem.
Prenatal lactation consultations can help you prepare before delivery, while postpartum visits can address latch, pain, milk supply, pumping, milk transfer, bottle feeding, and other concerns.
Early support can be especially helpful when something doesn’t feel right.
And if breastfeeding has already become difficult? It isn’t “too late” to ask for help.
What Happens During a Lactation Consultation?
Every family is different, so your consultation should be individualized to you.
Depending on your concerns, a visit may include discussing your pregnancy, delivery and health history; reviewing your baby’s feeding and weight history; observing a feeding; evaluating latch and positioning; looking at your baby’s oral function and feeding behavior; discussing pumping or bottle feeding; answering your questions; and developing a realistic plan for your family.
At Orlando Lactation, we believe parents deserve to understand why we’re recommending something.
We want you to leave your consultation feeling informed, supported, and more confident about what comes next.
Why Choose Orlando Lactation and Newborn Services?
Orlando Lactation and Newborn Services has been supporting families throughout Central Florida since 2005.
Founder Kristen L. Sorondo, RN, IBCLC, is a Registered Nurse, International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant, Birth Doula, and experienced provider of postpartum and newborn support. Her background includes 13 years at Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies, as well as advanced training in tethered oral tissues.
Kristen is also a mother of four whose own breastfeeding struggles helped shape the way she supports families today.
And she isn’t alone.
Our nurse-led team brings more than 200 years of combined nursing experience to the families we serve.
One of the things that makes our practice different is simple but important: every single one of our providers are nurses.
That means we’re looking at more than breastfeeding technique. We’re looking at your baby with the eyes of a nurse and an LC.
We also believe new parents deserve compassionate care, clear recommendations, transparent pricing, and support that never makes them feel like just another appointment on the schedule.
When you work with us, we want you to feel cared for like family.
You Don’t Have to Wait Until Feeding Feels Overwhelming
One of the most important things we want new parents to know is that asking for help doesn’t mean you’ve failed at breastfeeding.
Sometimes a small adjustment is all that’s needed. Sometimes there’s a more complicated feeding issue that deserves a closer look. And sometimes what a parent needs most is reassurance that they’re doing just fine. Whatever brings you to us, we’ll meet you where you are.
At Orlando Lactation and Newborn Services, our goal isn’t to push one “right” way to feed your baby. It’s to listen to your goals, look carefully at what’s happening, and use our nursing and lactation experience to help you make informed decisions for your family.
Looking for a lactation consultant in Orlando or Central Florida?
Orlando Lactation and Newborn Services has been caring for Central Florida families since 2005. Whether you’re preparing for your baby’s arrival or you’re already struggling with feeding, our nurse-led lactation team is here to help.
Schedule a lactation consultation and let our team support you and your baby.
