Lactation, Flange Fitting and Infant Feeding Services
Feeding a child is more than providing nutrients and immunity boosting properties. It’s about a new relationship, a new purpose in your life, and an undeniably amazing bond. Unfortunately, getting the relationship off the ground isn’t always as effortless. I offer a variety of consult options depending on your needs. From simple questions to in-depth clinical visits, read below to figure out the best option for you.
I happily welcome formula feeding families for bottle consults as well!!
Questions? Not sure which option is right for you? Feel free to email us for help.
Clinical Lactation Consults
Home-visits will be available on a limited basis (once or twice a week) to patients on the North Shore, in Somerville/Medford and patients within a 20 minute radius of Malden who do not own a car or have mobility issues due to a difficult birth/infant’s medical condition. Please note that, due to limited availability, you will more than likely have to wait longer for a home visit than you would for an office visit. If you are interested in a home visit, please email us first so we can tell you our availability: info@thebalc.com
All visits require a $50 non-refundable deposit due at booking.
Initial Office Consults: $325
Follow up appointments (within 6 months): $275
Initial Home Consults: $375
Follow up appointments: $325
Comprehensive Lactation Consults include:
- Complete medical history and intake
- Physical assessment of you and oral, structural and airway assessment of baby
- Discussion and troubleshooting concerns, forming an immediate care plan (24-48 hours) and answering any questions.
- Notes are sent after our consult with videos, handouts, and a long term care plan as well as contacts for any referrals. You have us for 2 weeks after your appointment via the patient portal (additional weeks can be purchased for $25/week)
Prenatal Lactation Consults
Prenatal Consult- Virtual ($275)
1.5 hours
The ultimate in prenatal prepatation! Unlike a group class, this session is tailored to your needs, questions and specific situation. Especially helpful for those who are having multiples, have a history of infertility or abnormal cycles, breast surgery or augmentation, or a negative history with nursing previous children. Learn everything from the basics of latch and timing a feed, how to tell if baby is getting enough and if your particular medical history could have an impact on your lactation journey.
Our virtual prenatal consults include
- Slides to our prenatal class, videos, and handouts all emailed to you before our appointment.
- Full medical history, and set you up with a care plan for your first few weeks after baby is born.
Flange Fitting Consults
Office Based Flange Fitting ($50)
30 minutes
Pumping uncomfortable? Worried about low output and thinking you might have the wrong size? A flange fitting might be just the ticket. My average parent is using a flange that is 7-10mm too big!! A good fit is imperative for comfort and for getting out the most amount of milk.
Includes:
- Sizing and testing of different flange sizes and types to figure out the best fit for you.
- Links for appropriate flanges and gear
- A thorough explaination of your fitting and any questions answered
Office Based Bottle Consults
Office Based Bottle Consults ($275)
1 hour
Formula feeding families area always welcome in our practice!!
Struggling with bottling? Whether you are bottling occasionally or your baby is strictly bottle-fed, complex bottling can be frustrating for everyone.
Helpful for: bottle refusal, gagging/choking, messy eating with a bottle, spitting up after bottling, reflux and GI upset.
Our bottle consults include:
- Complete history
- Full structural and functional assessment of baby (including full functional oral assessment)
- Feeding assessment
- Bottling skills and exercises
- Care plan and two weeks of patient portal follow up included
Email and Virtual Consults
About Email and Virtual Consults
We currently only see people for baby-specific issues in person. If there are issues with weight gain, painful latch, or any issues specific to baby, please book an in person consult.
**If you are interested in an email or virtual postpartum consult, please email us at: info@thebalc.com
Email consults ($150)
Email consults are for general breastfeeding advice and for issues which do not require physical assessment or in depth clinical assessment. Examples include questions about starting solids (can I start at 4 months? Do I nurse first and then do solids? How often?), pumping schedules and troubleshooting, and questions about normal newborn behavior (nursing frequency, how much baby should take is bottlefeeding while separated, stooling and voiding questions).
This option is for you if you have a pain free latch, and a generally content baby who is gaining weight appropriately (between 5-7 ounces a week up until 4 months and between 3.5-5 ounces per week from 4-6 months) with no major concerns over you or baby’s health and do not need to be physically seen.
If I feel that your question warrants a physical assessment, we will let you know and we can work from there. Includes one week of follow up.
Virtual Consults- Postpartum ($275)
For breastfeeding advice of a more clinical nature. Examples include weaning, oversupply management, working through persistent clogged ducts, low supply when exclusively pumping, flange fitting, and much more.
This option is for you if feel more comfortable chit chatting live versus email, if you have clinical issues listed above and if your baby is gaining weight appropriately.
Let's chat over (virtual) coffee
Quick Advice
$25
Trying to wade through the advice given to you on parenting groups? Consulting Dr. Google at 2AM? Big Breaths! This option is for general one-off breastfeeding questions. Examples include: Nutrition questions (Can I eat this while nursing?), medication search and explanation (Can I take this med while nursing?!), questions about what to bring to the hospital, pump selection, and gear. Coffee chats are not for specific clinical issues which require parent and baby’s medical history (see email consults above). However, if you want to post it in your facebook group, but you’re hoping to get an evidence based answer from an allied health professional, this option is for you! Send me an email over to info@thebalc.com