Office Lactation Consultation
$200 if not covered by insurance
90 minutes
Office consultations are available seven days a week.
They are useful if you are a person who likes to get out of the house, has transportation and when you don't want to visit lactation services in the hospital. Office visits are also a cost-effective way for an in-person visit.
Here's what happens when you come to my office:
You bring your baby, your husband or partner, and your pump, if you are pumping. I have a comfortable office in my home with a magic nursing chair, a sofa, lots of pillows and everything else you might need.
We talk about what is happening with breastfeeding, what happened in the past, what you have tried, and how you feel about it. I look at your health history and your birth and breastfeeding experiences and how they impact your current challenges.
I answer all your questions, and your partner's questions, too.
I try to anticipate what might happen in the days following our appointment and address those situations as well.
At the end of the visit, you will feel more confident and comfortable. You will have a written breastfeeding-friendly feeding and care plan so you know what to focus on.
A care plan includes recommended feeding frequency, what to look for in the next few days, how to know baby is getting enough and how to stimulate milk production and optimal feeds. It will have a summary of everything we discussed.
I work using a permission-based, hands-off technique.
I won’t touch you, or your baby, without your permission. I won’t be touching your breast at all, unless you have breast pain, plugged ducts, or have had breast surgery, and again, only with your permission.
I will look at your baby and do an examination of their mouth and tongue with my gloved finger. This is to learn what their mouth structure and suckling, looks and feels like.
For example, if your nipples are sore, my finger will usually be able to feel compression or friction in your baby's mouth that is causing your distress. Based on what I find, I will provide ways you can resolve those issues. You will have more comfortable nursing sessions and your baby will have better feeds.
I observe you and your baby nursing.
I coach you in adjusting your positioning and latching until you feel more comfortable. If your baby is fussy and refusing to nurse, or sleeping through feeds, we observe to understand why they are behaving that way way.
I give suggestions for you to try while nursing and in many cases, you will see instant improvement.
I observe and describe you and your baby's interactions while you feed, so you can understand and make room for the instinct and innate responses that are helping, and often hindering your progress. For example, babies instinctively put their hands in their mouths, which hinders you latching them onto your nipple. Rather than preventing them from doing something they are driven to do, you can learn how to work with it.
You will receive:
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An appointment as early as today or tomorrow. Babies are born every day and they need to eat!
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Specialized attention in a homey environment. I will teach optimal positioning, including side-lying positions, so that you are comfortable every time you feed your baby.
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Frequent and timely follow up until feeding your baby is enjoyable and comfortable for you and your baby.
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Compassionate counseling so you, your partner and your baby feel better mentally and emotionally as individuals and as partners in this special relationship.
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Three phone or text conversations after the visit, for updates, feedback and questions. You can call me 24/7, if you need to. You are not "bothering me." If it's not convenient for me, I will call you back when I can talk.
Office lactation consults are effective and cost-effective.
One 90 minute consultation gets most people back on track and successfully breastfeeding and some people do better with a series of on-going support sessions.
You will know better during our first consultation as we develop your care plan. I aim to provide the right amount of support: Not too much and definitely not too little.
Follow up visits can be in-home, in-office, or telehealth and may be varying lengths.