In-Home Consult
I come to you!
What Do We Do: In the comfort of your home, we’ll discuss what issues you’ve been experiencing, go over your and baby’s medical histories, and, depending on the issues, do a physical of you and your baby. After that we’ll do a breastfeeding assessment and discuss an appropriate plan of care and schedule any necessary follow-ups.
If we’re doing a pumping evaluation, I have a pressure gauge specifically designed to test how much suction your breast pump is creating to ensure it’s doing its job! We can also do a flange sizing to determine your best flange size for optimal pumping output and comfort. Because your comfort is important!
What You Can Expect: I will take the time to get to know you, your baby, and your goals and work to find ways to keep you both comfortable as we determine how to overcome any challenges you are experiencing. I love sharing knowledge and facts, so don’t hold back if you have any questions! I’m all for informed decision-making for parents. The more you know, the better you’re able to decide what is best for you and your family.
As we put together a plan of care, we will talk through and collaborate on how you and your baby can best be supported to help ensure a positive journey forward with breastfeeding and/or pumping.
All this we can do together without leaving your home!
TeleHealth Consult
I come to you- on your screen!
What Do We Do: There is plenty we can do even if an in-person consult is not possible.
To provide additional information for our TeleHealth consult, I may ask you beforehand to provide pictures and/or videos. I will send you information on how to take them and how to send them to me for evaluation before our appointment time. This can offer more information to lead us toward determining what is going on and how to address certain issues.
During the consult, we will go over your and baby’s medical histories, symptoms of what you’ve been experiencing, and, depending upon the concern, we can do a breastfeeding or pumping observation. We will work together to collaborate on a plan of care to try to address the issues experienced.
What You Can Expect: Supportive care no matter where you live! I offer my virtual patients the same attention as if we were in the same room. TeleHealth is a great option if you are not local to Colorado Springs, prefer to limit visitors to your home, or if someone in the home happens to have an illness. If after a consult the situation does end up requiring an in-person evaluation, I can assist you in locating your nearest qualified IBCLC to continue care for your family.
Therapeutic Ultrasound
Feeling painful lumps, breast pain, or engorgment? Concerned you may be developing mastitis and want to avoid needing antibiotics?
I can help!
Therapeutic ultrasound has been found to be an effective, safe and non-invasive treatment for relieving the inflammation that can lead to ductal narrowing. Treatment with therapeutic ultrasound can assist with restoring and improving milk flow that can decrease the progression to mastitis and potentially remove the need for antibiotics!
At least 2-3 treatments are recommended to be most beneficial, but many women have started experiencing relief and increased milk flow after their first treatment.
What Do We Do: For the first visit, we will assess your breast condition and discuss strategies on how to decrease inflammation, increase comfort, and ways to prevent it from reoccurring. Then a handheld ultrasound device, which uses gentle warmth and ultrasonic vibrations to decrease inflammation in soft tissue, will be used over the effected area with light pressure. Initial treatments take about 45 minutes and follow-up treatments are 30 minutes.
It is highly recommended to either nurse your baby or pump shortly after each treatment to start initiating the benefits of the treatment by relieving the milk stasis that occurred.
Prenatal Education
This is a wonderful time to discuss your goals for breastfeeding and learn how to prepare for an optimal start with your baby.
What Do We Do: Answer questions! I love answering questions- so bring them all to this visit! And your significant other or a support person are encouraged to join this visit. The more the merrier!
We will go over education on topics such as…
-The process of how breastmilk is produced and how to build and maintain a supply
-What to expect with breastfeeding in the first hours, days, and weeks after birth
-Baby’s hunger cues and how to tell your baby is getting enough breastmilk
-What a good latch looks and feels like
-Various breastfeeding positions
-How to hand express and how to supplement a newborn in the hospital if necessary
-How to build confidence with breastfeeding
-Discussion on breast pumps
Remember- both you and your baby will be brand new to breastfeeding! It is a learned skill and like any new skill it takes time, practice, patience, and supportive people to cheer you on!
Return To Work Consult
What kind of pump do I use? How should I store and transport breastmilk? What kind of pump schedule do I do? What if I don’t work an office job? What rights do I have? What if my baby doesn’t take a bottle yet? What do I do if the daycare overfeeds and gives more milk than I can produce?
We can work together to find answers to these questions!
The purpose of a Return-To-Work consult is to help equip you with a plan on how to continue your breastfeeding/ pumping journey with your little one. There are ways to make it work for you!
What Do We Do: This consult can take place at any point before you return to work, but it is usually recommended to give yourself a couple weeks before your maternity leave ends. This allows you time to get accustomed to your pumping equipment, new routines, and working on bottle feedings with your baby as you ease into this new transition.
We will go over the following…
-Evaluating your current pump or helping select a new one
-Flange fitting
-Discussing your workplace environment and the type of work you do to determine when you’d like to plan for your pumping breaks and where they will be
-Education on proper hygiene and sanitation practice and safe milk storage guidelines
-Education on how to maintain a good breastmilk supply and optimize your health to support continued lactation
-Discuss your legal rights to be provided with a safe and hygienic location for pumping and adequate breaks while at work
-Any questions about bottle feeding or how to inform your child care provider of your infant feeding preferences