LACTATION SERVICES
Sometimes you’re lucky enough to have a baby who is born knowing how to latch and you have an abundant milk supply, but sometimes you have a baby who struggles to latch on properly or you have trouble keeping an adequate milk supply.
As an IBCLC, I can help you navigate any issues that come up once your baby is here, such as with latching and positioning, assessing your baby’s suck reflex, learning how to use your pump/hand express, helping with engorgement, and what to do if your milk supply is lower than you’d like it to be!
I accept Health Savings Account (HSA) cards for payments. I also work with The Lactation Network (TLN), so I can accept many different types of insurances. Examples include Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Cigna, Humana, PNOA, and Multiplan accounts (this covers many other insurances like Aetna and United Healthcare and is designated by a special logo/name that can be found on the card itself). I’m also an approved Aetna provider.
You can check to see if your insurance is covered by The Lactation Network by clicking here! If approved, you will get up to 6 visits covered, and there will be ZERO cost to you – no copays! If you have Aetna, want to use your HSA cards, or pay via credit card, message me and we’ll go from there!
I should also mention that I offer awesome prenatal sessions, because knowing what to do before your baby arrives will greatly help to get you and your baby off to the best breastfeeding start. In fact, what you do the first few hours and days post-birth has a tremendous effect on how much milk you will get when your mature milk comes in! Prenatal sessions are also covered under the same insurances and other options!
Breastfeeding and Pumping Consultations (pricing varies between $150-$200)
Once your baby has arrived, I can help you with latching, positioning, pumping, and more! It can be tough to navigate a painful latch, remember how to get your baby to open their mouths wide enough, be able to position your baby in a manner that doesn’t give you pain and allows for your baby to get a deep latch, and feel confident that your baby is taking in enough breast milk.
I’m here to put your mind at ease! Here are some of the things I can help with:
- latching
- positioning
- hand expression
- colostrum harvesting
- healing sore nipples
- pumping
- flange-fitting
- milk storage collection
- oral assessment of baby’s suck
- frenotomy follow-up for baby (including stretches)
- over supply
- under supply*
- dealing with/preventing blocked ducts, milk blebs, and mastitis
- thrush, topical allergens
- babies with food allergens
- vasospasms
- prenatal consults**
- parents of multiples
- tandem nursing
- weaning
- drug/herbal interactions
- relactation/induced lactation
Increasing Milk Supply*
I wanted to take a minute to discuss the fact that I specialize in helping those who are struggling to maintain or increase their milk supply (something near and dear to my heart, thanks to some of my own personal struggles). If you have been struggling with low milk supply or slow milk ejections (ie letdowns), let me help! Not only can I help you increase your supply, but I also ensure you understand the possible root causes of your supply issues and other ways to help rectify them.
I know how frustrating it can be for moms to not be able to produce all the breast milk they need for their child(ren), and I want to help! I help moms who…
*have never made enough milk to fully feed their child(ren)
*used to make more but now aren’t getting as much
*are “just enoughers”, who usually have just enough milk but no extra
*make enough milk but would like to make a bit more
I know there’s a ton of information online when you search “how to make more breast milk”, but unfortunately that’s not likely going to solve all of your problems. You’ll be getting generic advice from random people, who often have little professional lactation experience. Yes, some things might help a little, or help for a little while, but oftentimes people are left needing more. And this is where I come in!
I’m a big believer in looking at the root causes of things, because you can’t properly fix a problem for good if you don’t understand what’s causing it. You can put a band-aid on but that’s just a temporary fix. But together, we can figure out your “why”, and hopefully permanently fix your issue!
Of course figuring out your “why” is only half the battle. Then you need to figure out how to actually increase your supply. Like I said, some advice will give you small glimmers of hope here and there but won’t often be the “cure-all” you’re wishing for. This is why I like to often think “outside of the box” when it comes to solutions!
I worked with a collegue recently, Dr. Julia Smeltz, to take a look at one such solution, and it was truly groundbreaking! We ran an informal study to see if a special taping technique would work to both improve a mom’s overall milk supply, as well as help her with an improved milk ejection reflex (MER). We are excited to report that all the moms in the study saw at least some improvement in one or both of those areas (see some study results below)! It is clear to us that the technique can definitely help many moms improve their supply, though just how much is dependent on many individualized factors.
I am also educated in herbal galactagogues, where I’ve been able to successfully advise people on which herbs to take to help increase their supply. I know that many pills and supplements are marketed as a “one-size-fits-all” solution, but that’s just not true. You really have to be careful with taking herbs, just like with any other medications (prescription and over-the-counter). There are some herbs that counteract with certain medications and health conditions. Some herbs can actually further decrease your supply! This is why I spend lots of time reviewing your health history before I offer you any suggestions or advice!
If you are intrigued and would like to learn more, awesome! Remember to check your insurance coverage by clicking here! Or if you prefer to use an HSA card or credit card, you can then click on Contact above to send me an email to learn the next steps to setting up a virtual or in-home consult, Or if you’d like to learn more by chatting first, you can set up a FREE 15min phone call (or video if you’re outside of the US) to talk to me about your unique situation!
If you’re concerned about the cost of a consult (if not covered by insurance), just remember that if you’re currently purchasing donor milk or formula for your child because of an insufficient milk supply, you could actually drop that cost after working with me, like some of our study group moms were able to do (see below)! With today’s formula shortages, being able to increase your own milk supply can not only save you money but it can save you the stress of having to find your child’s formula at the stores or online. And let’s not forget how much better human milk is for human babies vs formula!
I can help you with all of these things and more! You can set up a time for us to meet virtually or in-person if you live in the Lehigh Valley area (additional travel fees added, if you live outside of 20 miles of Macungie, PA 18062). Don’t forget to check your insurance coverage here, as in-home consults are covered too!
Some of the results/feedback we received from the moms in the study:
*Danielle; mom of 3mo twins – Mom started out by breastfeeding about 40% of the time and supplementing with formula 60%. By the end of the study, mom reports feeling much fuller and being able to completely get rid of the formula bottles! She’s now 100% breastfeeding both of her babies!
*Katie; mom of 6mo – After one week, mom reports a faster flow of milk with her child popping on/off less and gulping milk like never before. She notices many more letdowns now, and she can see many more sprays of milk during pumping sessions. At the end of the study she reported having more milk, using less formula, having extra milk for the freezer, and that her baby seemed much happier!
*Andreina; mom of 3mo – Mom reports feeling fuller after the taping was over and has increased her pumping volumes by 1-2oz per session! Before starting, mom felt that she had an “under-producing” breast and that her baby was less satisfied on that side. After the study, mom reports that the “under-producer” has now caught up and is satisfying her child. Mom feels letdowns again, where she hadn’t since shortly after birth, and baby is now back to solely breastfeeding!
*Daryll; mom of 8mo – Mom started out being a “just enougher” and sometimes needing to take milk from her freezer stash to keep up with her little one. By the end of the study, mom has been able to make plenty of milk for her baby and be able to freeze about 6oz a day extra! She’s also no longer needing to supplement after breastfeeding sessions!
Prenatal Lactation Package**
I offer an awesome Prenatal Lactation Package for parents-to-be so they can learn about how to best get their newborn to breastfeed upon birth. Even if you already took an online course or class at your local hospital, I still highly recommend taking this “class” with me! I have yet to hear anyone say that they felt like what they had with me wasn’t worth it or that anything was really repeated (unless requested).
I pride myself on focusing in on things that you don’t often hear or see about, including explaining what you can really expect post-delivery! I know I felt like I was totally unprepared with my first child, so I try to prepare parents-to-be with what they can expect. I can also help you 1:1 with hand expression! Moms are always astounded when they see a tiny little drop of milk form! It’s a beautiful thing!
I can also do flange fittings in person or at least give you some guidance virtually. I also do a visual breast assessment, which allows me to see if there’s anything that looks like it might be a cause for concern later on. And of course, my thorough health history also allows me to talk to you about the things that matter most to you based on your personal medical conditions or medications you might be on. These things are extremely important to know about beforehand! So let me help you be as prepared as possible for your new arrival! Feel free to message me with questions!
Remember to check your insurance coverage by clicking here! Or you can click on Contact above to send me an email to learn the next steps to setting up a virtual or in-home prenatal consult. You can set up a time for us to meet virtually or in-person if you live in the Lehigh Valley area (additional travel fees added, if you live outside of 20 miles of Macungie, PA 18062). Or if you’d like to learn more by chatting first, you can set up a FREE 15min phone call (or video if you’re outside of the US) to talk to me about your unique situation!