diff --git a/consumer.go b/consumer.go
index 53b9cdf..d33a4ec 100644
--- a/consumer.go
+++ b/consumer.go
@@ -47,6 +47,13 @@ func WithClient(client kinesisiface.KinesisAPI) Option {
 	}
 }
 
+// ShardIteratorType overrides the starting point for the consumer
+func WithShardIteratorType(t string) Option {
+	return func(c *Consumer) {
+		c.initialShardIteratorType = t
+	}
+}
+
 // ScanStatus signals the consumer if we should continue scanning for next record
 // and whether to checkpoint.
 type ScanStatus struct {
@@ -64,9 +71,10 @@ func New(streamName string, opts ...Option) (*Consumer, error) {
 
 	// new consumer with no-op checkpoint, counter, and logger
 	c := &Consumer{
-		streamName: streamName,
-		checkpoint: &noopCheckpoint{},
-		counter:    &noopCounter{},
+		streamName:               streamName,
+		initialShardIteratorType: "TRIM_HORIZON",
+		checkpoint:               &noopCheckpoint{},
+		counter:                  &noopCounter{},
 		logger: &noopLogger{
 			logger: log.New(ioutil.Discard, "", log.LstdFlags),
 		},
@@ -91,11 +99,12 @@ func New(streamName string, opts ...Option) (*Consumer, error) {
 
 // Consumer wraps the interaction with the Kinesis stream
 type Consumer struct {
-	streamName string
-	client     kinesisiface.KinesisAPI
-	logger     Logger
-	checkpoint Checkpoint
-	counter    Counter
+	streamName               string
+	initialShardIteratorType string
+	client                   kinesisiface.KinesisAPI
+	logger                   Logger
+	checkpoint               Checkpoint
+	counter                  Counter
 }
 
 // Scan scans each of the shards of the stream, calls the callback
@@ -258,7 +267,7 @@ func (c *Consumer) getShardIterator(streamName, shardID, lastSeqNum string) (*st
 		params.ShardIteratorType = aws.String("AFTER_SEQUENCE_NUMBER")
 		params.StartingSequenceNumber = aws.String(lastSeqNum)
 	} else {
-		params.ShardIteratorType = aws.String("TRIM_HORIZON")
+		params.ShardIteratorType = aws.String(c.initialShardIteratorType)
 	}
 
 	resp, err := c.client.GetShardIterator(params)