How to Prepare for your Visit

• My approach is laid back. I want my clients to feel heard and supported. I want my clients to feel empowered and more knowledgable when I leave a visit.
• For in-person consultations, I will come into your home however there is a small travel fee for in-home visits. You may also travel to my Office for no additional fee. 
• Oftentimes virtual support is all that is needed or possible. I provide lactation consults through our secure HIPPA compliant Telehealth video conferencing portal, email, text or phone calls as well. Sometimes this is a good first step and then we can determine if an in-person consultation is needed. 
• You may have seen a lactation consultant in the hospital, but right after delivery you are often exhausted and overwhelmed. Sometimes these first lactation experiences are wonderful, but other times they are confusing, stressful and frustrating.
• I believe that my role is to support you and your goals. I will never force anything, or add additional pressure. You, as the client, need to decide what feels right for you and your family. 
• My role is to provide evidence based information, and create a personalized care plan for you and baby. I will give you the tools that you need to create a more positive breastfeeding experience for as long as you choose.

• Low Milk Production
• Overproduction of Milk
• Engorgement
• Painful and/or difficult latch
• Sore, cracked or bleeding nipples
• Tongue tie, Lip tie, or other Anatomical Issue
• A baby who is "nursing all the time" and never seems satisfied
• Food Allergies or Sensitivities for mom or baby
• Sleep Issues Related to Feeding
• Pumping Help
• Jaundice
• Medical Issues for Mom or Baby
• Previous Breastfeeding Issues
• Assistance returning to work
• Slow Infant Weight Gain
• Prematurity or late preterm infant
• Baby Transitioning from NICU to Home
• Twins/Multiples
• Re-Lactation
• Baby Fussy or Frustrated at breast
• Reflux
• Supplementation
• Mastitis or Thrush
• Previous Breast Surgeries
• Breastfeeding an Adopted Baby
• Nursing an Older Baby
• Tandem Nursing
• Introducing Solid Food
• Weaning or any unresolved feeding issues or concerns
• Receiving confusing advice regarding breastfeeding
• Feeling unsure and needing extra support and guidance

** If there is an issue that I may not be able to help you with, I will refer you to another Health Professional that will be able to help you, or who will assist me in helping you. Sometimes the best solutions require more than one professional - two heads are better than one!

• Prenatal Consultation
• Private Prenatal Breastfeeding Classes
• Prenatal Q&A
• Postpartum Consultation
• Virtual Lactation Consultation
• In-Home Lactation Consultation
• Follow Up Lactation Appointments
• Lactation Q&A
• Tongue/Lip Function Evaluation
• Infant Toddler Feeding/Swallowing Assessment
• Post Frenotomy Care Training
• Safe Non-Toxic Baby Consultation
• Baby's First Foods
• Back to Work Consultation
• Older Baby Lactation Consultation (6+ mos)
• Weight/Intake Checks

• Fill out my Health History and Consent Forms, if you can. I will send them through my HIPPA Compliant Telehealth Patient Portal once we schedule your appointment. Check your junk mail if you do not see it.
• Try not to feed baby within an hour of my visit, so he or she will eat while I'm there (but if baby gets super hungry and is screaming, go ahead and feed them a boob snack and we'll make it work!)
• Please dress baby in something comfortable, and easy to take on and off.
• I love animals (especially dogs - I have 3!), but if your sweet pup is wild and gets excited easily with new people, please put them in another room or outside (if appropriate).
• Make a list of all of your questions for me (but remember you can text, email or call me for 1 week after my visit if you forget anything during our appt.)
• Expect for me to be with you in the room where you spend the most time nursing, whether that be your living room, bedroom, baby's room, wherever you are most comfortable and at ease. We get quite up close and personal!
• If you have questions using the breast pump you have been using, or the bottles you've chosen, or any other baby gear that you are using (wraps, baby carriers etc), try to have them available in case we need to look at them together.
• Older siblings are always welcome to be playing nearby during a consult. You will want to plan an activity & snack ahead of time as a distraction for them during our time together so that you and I can chat freely.

• Don't clean your house. I really don't care what it looks like. You just had a baby, spend time with them. Spend most of your time doing skin to skin.
• Don't change what you've been doing prior to my visit, unless I specifically tell you to change something ahead of time. I need to be able to observe and see the whole picture so that I can get a better idea of what little tweaks may make a difference in your breastfeeding journey. 
• Don't kick everyone else out of the house. If you have a spouse, a close friend, or a loved one who is a support to you, I'd love to have them in the room during my visit. Spouses, grandparents, or significant others are all an important component of a successful and positive breastfeeding journey. I've had support persons take notes and be an immense support for mom. 
• Don't hesitate to tell me if something doesn't feel right. I want you to be comfortable and do what is going to work for you and your family. This is your journey. Please be open with me and we will be able to come up with a plan that can work for you!

• I will wash my hands more or less as soon as I walk in the door, and before I touch you or your baby. Most of the time I will be wearing latex free gloves. These days, I will likely be wearing a mask.
• We will sit and talk first, unless baby is hungry and ready to nurse as soon as I walk in the door! The baby is the boss and usually sets the pace of our consult!
• I will go over your health history, pregnancy history, birth history, baby's history and we will discuss your challenges and concerns. Then I will ask to observe you breastfeeding (or pumping), in whatever position and manner you use most.
• I try to be physically hands-off when possible. I will ALWAYS ask before I touch you, your breasts, or your baby.
• Usually before your baby has eaten, I will put on clean latex-free gloves, and do a manual oral exam of your baby's mouth. I am looking for tethered oral tissues (tongue ties), oral-motor weakness, strength of baby's suck, position of tongue and lips during suck, and any other structural differences, among other things. Sometimes I do this after a feed.
• If there are any concerns about how much milk your baby is getting when nursing, I will weigh your baby on my hospital grade scale, both before and after the feeding to assess accurate total milk intake.
• I may lay your baby on a flat surface in order to complete a full body assessment of their structure and function, as these may affect baby's ability to breastfeed successfully.
• I may use a stethoscope to listen to baby's heart rate or swallow sounds and swallow/breathing rhythms while he or she is nursing/feeding. 
• I also may use an otoscope and/or flashlight to look inside baby's ears or mouth during my assessment.
• I may ask to look at your nipples before and after your baby nurses. This helps me not only assess whether you are experiencing nipple damage, but it also gives me a lot of insight into exactly how your nipple is placed and compressed in baby's mouth while he or she is breastfeeding which can provide me insight into the quality of their latch.
• I will provide a shortened Care Plan when I leave, and then a detailed Care Plan will be sent to you through the parent portal within 24 hours. I will attach any resources that I feel would be helpful to you.

• Within 24 hours, you will receive your personalized Care Plan via our HIPPA compliant private secure Telehealth Parent portal - the same portal that you will receive your invitation to fill out forms prior to our visit.
• I can also send the Care Plan to your baby's Pediatrician if requested. I will usually ask!
• I will possibly make referrals to other healthcare providers, as needed.
• You will also receive a Superbill receipt with details of our visit, including diagnostic codes for you to submit to your insurance for reimbursement.
• You will have direct private HIPPA compliant access to me through this portal free of charge for one week following our consult. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions or concerns.
• Please stay in touch and keep me posted on your progress (or regression) and any changes or new developments or problems.
• If a new and different problem arises, we may need to schedule another full consultation to assess what is going on.
• If you feel things have improved, but just want to make sure, we can always schedule a shorter follow up consultation or a weight/intake check.
• This is YOUR Journey....It's messy, it's hard, but remember it can be beautiful. I am here for you and your baby. I will give you my full support and help you with your breastfeeding goals....whatever that might look like.
• It is my true passion and privilege to participate in your breastfeeding journey. Thank you for your trust. We are in this together now!
• I LOVE and appreciate positive Google Reviews and Referrals!