Dear colleagues:
We periodically discuss here the relationship between mind/emotion and
breastfeeding. Many breastfeeding problems are rooted in or related to
psychological issues (e.g., developmental, cognitive, emotional,
behavioral...). We've all seen how breastfeeding can be affected by
attitudes, beliefs, behavior patterns, difficulty taking on the mothering
role, grief and loss, interpersonal conflicts, difficulty coping with past
experiences involving one's body and belief in its purpose, worth,
capacity, etc. And while IBCLCs have some training in offering emotional
support in the context of lactation consulting, some mothers simply need
more than an IBCLC usually has been trained to provide. I am pondering
additional ways that I might combine my training and experience in the
field of mental health (I have an MS in clinical psychology) with my
training and experience in the field of lactation and breastfeeding. I
would appreciate input (on and/or off the list as appropriate) regarding
such a combination. Some of my questions are:
1. Do any of you provide mental health services (i.e., counseling,
psychotherapy) in some combination with lactation consulting? If so, how do
you combine them? How do you handle insurance filing for the two services
that might occur in one session?
2. How often do you refer breastfeeding mothers to a mental health
professional? Are there any in your area who are also IBCLCs or at least
whom you consider to be knowledgeable about and supportive of breastfeeding
(including such practices as sleep sharing, attachment parenting...)?
3. What kind of mental health needs do you feel unable to meet in the
context of lactation consulting and so refer on to a mental health
professional?
4. How closely do you work with mental health professionals when you have
referred a mother to them?
5. In your area, is the need for a mental health professional/IBCLC
combination large or small? Met or unmet?
6. Any other thoughts on this topic?
Grateful for any input anyone has time to provide,
Cynthia
Cynthia Good Mojab, MS, IBCLC, RLC
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell
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