Why hire a lactation consultant?

I provide personalized,  virtual or office classes and consults. This includes prenatal breast assessment/evaluation and post-partum support, following discharge home from the birthing center or hospital. 

• Pumping and Supplies: what to get, how to use it and everything you will need to make breastfeeding easier

• Pain: something hurts (sore or damaged nipples, breast pain, plugged ducts)

• Baby is not latching, “slides” off breast, is too sleepy to nurse

• Baby is gaining weight slowly

• Concerns about baby’s tongue or torticollis

• Engorgement

• Concerns about milk supply

• Transitioning home from the NICU

• Previous breast surgery, unusually shaped breasts or nipples

• Concerns about going back to work, weaning and starting solid foods

 

What happens at a visit? 

An initial visit lasts up to 1.5 hours.  During that time, I will:

• Discuss your medical history as is relevant to lactation, examine your breasts if necessary, and assess your infant’s mouth, tongue and suck

• Assess baby "at rest and at breast" (observing a feed)

• Work with parent and baby to achieve comfortable latch and positioning

• Weigh the baby before and after a feed and assess for adequate weight gain

• Discuss management of feeding and active problem-solving

• Facilitate communication between parents

• Develop a customized, written care plan based on the assessment, to guide family through the next few days

• Write a report to send to baby’s pediatrician and your care provider, to coordinate care with the rest of the health care team

• Make a referral to a specialist if needed

• Provide you with a receipt to submit for insurance reimbursement

Following the visit, we will be in touch over the next several days to tinker with the care plan and get you on your way. Subsequently, many parents find it helpful to schedule a follow-up visit for further support and education.  This is totally up to you.

 

Preparing for your visit:

• Try to arrange for the baby to be ready to feed shortly after our visit begins. I know you can't plan this exactly, but ideally we'll have a few minutes to get started, talk about history and get comfortable, and then move on to the feeding. Please try not to feed the baby a full feeding just before I arrive!

• Do not feel the need to clean your house or change your baby’s diaper.  I will want to take a naked weight of the baby to compare to his/her previous weights.

• If you have concerns with pumping or bottle-feeding, please have those supplies cleaned and ready to be used before my arrival.