Circle of Love Lactation Support LLC Home Visits
What is a Lactation Home Visit Like?
I offer prenatal home visits, which are like a private two hour breastfeeding class, and I also offer home visits after your baby is born. The first home visit after the baby is born usually lasts at least two hours. We will discuss your health history, your current feeding routine, your goals, and any concerns you have. I will bring my lactation pediatric / neonatal scale with me, which has a measurement accuracy of 0.1 oz/2 grams so we can do a weight check and a weighted feed. I observe you latch, breastfeed, and/or pump. I can help with latching, positioning, and pump part fitting. The goal is for the baby to be well fed and for you to feel comfortable (pain free!). Depending on your situation, I can perform a functional oral assessment for the baby. Together we will create a plan that feels good to you, and I will share that plan with your baby's pediatrician. My goal is to help you reach your feeding goals, whatever they may be.
Lactation Home Visits Cover Many Topics
- How to get breastfeeding off to a strong start. Some (not all) challenges can be minimized and it is helpful to feel prepared and informed.
- Newborn - Help with latching a newborn and feeding comfortably and frequently.
- Health history - Review maternal factors that can impact lactation.
- Weight gain & weight checks - how to know if baby is getting enough. I have a pediatric / neonatal scale with 0.1 oz (2g gram) resolution, the highest available.
- Weighted feed - it can be helpful to have a sense of how much milk your baby is transferring at the breast.
- Milk Supply - Learn the amazing art and science of milk production and how to make the most of what you have.
- Nipple pain, engorgement, plugged ducts, growth spurts, hunger cues, infant sleep and awake cycles.
- Feeding rhythms and plans to make nursing and/or pumping feel manageable, enjoyable, and sustainable.
- Pumping - Assess flange fit. Review tips to help mazimize comfort and milk collection while pumping.
- Introducing a bottle and pumping plans for when you are away from your baby at work or school.
- Functional assessment of the tongue and if baby can effectively transfer milk.
- Introducing solid food, infant behavior, weaning.
Follow Up Visits
Most feeding situations benefit from multiple visits. Follow up visits include a weight check, a weighted feed and last about one to two hours. I can observe a feeding and help with latch and positioning. We review how things are going and discuss your questions and concerns. I find that with many situations, an initial visit has a lot of problem solving, and follow up visits are important to help tweak the plan as things improve and progress. Most families benefit from follow up visits!
Many topics often come up during follow up visits including:
- Weight gain and infant growth
- Weighted feed and how baby is transferring milk
- Breast storage capacity and how mother baby dyads have their own unique feeding rhythm
- Building or maintaining milk supply and production
- Feeding cues, growth spurts, spitting up, infant behavior
- Getting a deeper latch, trying new positions to nurse
- Pumping plans for going back to work or school
- Introducing a bottle, paced bottle feeding, solid food
- Tips for nursing on the go and life with baby
- How to reach you breastfeeding/pumping goals
Prenatal Breastfeeding Home Visits
Prenatal home visits are helpful whether your are pregnant with your first baby or your fifth baby. *** One big perk to doing a prenatal visit with me is that you become an established patient, which usually means I can see you as soon as possible after you get home from the hospital.
The prenatal lactation home visit covers many topics including:
- How to get a strong start in the hours and days after birth
- What to do if your baby isn't latching well after birth
- What to do if your newborn is sleepy
- How to know if your baby is getting enough milk
- Breastfeeding positions that use the baby's instincts to help get a deep, comfortable latch
- How milk production works and how to set yourself up for success to reach your goals
- The milk supply equation
- What normal newborn breastfeeding is really like
- Hunger Cues, growth spurts
- The learning curve of breastfeeding
- What pumps work best at different ages and stages
- Infant sleep and awake cycles and patterns
- How to avoid common challenges. Some (not all) breastfeeding challenges can be prevented or minimized with the right information and support
- What can my spouse/partner/husband do to support breastfeeding?