Circle of Love Lactation Support LLC Home Visits
What is a 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 lasts about 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. Depending on your situation, I can perform a functional oral assessment for the baby and 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!). Together we will create a plan that feels good to you, and I will share that plan with your healthcare providers. My goal is to help you reach your feeding goals, whatever they may be.
Home Visits Cover Many Topics
- Prenatal education during pregnancy - 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.
- 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
- 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
Many feeding situations benefit from multiple visits. Follow up visits include a weight check 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
- 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
Health Insurance
I am able to accept health insurance for most of these plans:
- Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO
- Anthem PPO
- Cigna PPO
- VA CCN
- Humana PPO
- PNOA (look for the logo on the back of your card)
- Multiplan (look for the logo on the back of your card)
I use The Lactation Network for Health Insurance. You can use the mother's insurance or the baby's insurance. Be sure to submit both mom and baby's health insurance plans if they are on different insurance plans. For example, sometimes the baby is on the dad's plan. ***Click on the link below to see if your insurance covers consultations with me. If your insurance covers lactation visits, you get up to six visits with each birth. The first visit can be a prenatal breastfeeding consultation or a home visit consultation after the baby is born.