LACTATION CARE
Some mothers choose to see a consultant during pregnancy.
You may see a lactation consultant in the hospital before you and your baby come home.
If your baby is born in a birthing center or if you have a home birth, a midwife or doula may assist you with the first breastfeeding.
Your doctor or your baby's doctor may refer you to a Lactation Consultant.
You can refer yourself directly at any time, before or after the birth of your child.
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a breastfeeding assessment for all nursing mothers and babies during the first week of breastfeeding, usually around day 5-7, to ensure things are going well. It can take 4-6 weeks for breastfeeding to become well established.
A visit any time during the first week is fine, but if you are having difficulty, do call for help! It's important to identify and correct a problem early. Most common early breastfeeding challenges can be addressed in 1-3 visits. Ongoing support has been shown to help mothers reach their breastfeeding goals.
As a healthcare professional, the Lactation consultant is bound by HIPAA Privacy Laws that prevent sharing your information without your written permission.
The IBCLC is a healthcare professional who provides expertise in breastfeeding including:
- Prenatal and post-partum breastfeeding
education, assessment and support.
- Prevention and management of common
breastfeeding concerns and problems
- Breastfeeding multiples and babies with
special needs, premature babies
- Return to work and breastfeeding
- Adoption and breastfeeding
A lactation consultant can be a source of information and support throughout the breastfeeding experience, from birth through weaning.
Most area hospitals have outpatient lactation consultation available, along with hospital grade pump rental, pump sale and breastfeeding supplies.
If you are interested in a home visit, please contact me directly.
Infant massage has become a popular way for new parents to nurture their baby. It can provide a relaxed playtime, a peaceful calming exercise session, and it can soothe a colicky baby. The origins of infant massage are ancient, and even today massage is part of the daily ritual of infant care in many parts of the world where it is considered essential to a baby's health and development.
INFANT MASSAGE INSTRUCTION
Research shows infant massage also provides health and developmental benefits.
It's never too early--prenatal instruction prepares you to begin massage right from the start--or too late. Massage becomes a perfect avenue for conversation as your child gets older.
Classes
(75 minutes)
2 or more couples at home
(2 hours)
(75 minutes)
(75 minutes)
In the US in the 1990's when we were learning to save tinier and tinier preemies, we discovered the miraculous effects infant massage could have on these children. Deprived of the normal handling full term babies receive, these premature infants responded to massage by doubling their rate of weight gain and experiencing significant improvements in motor and cognitive testing over similar babies who did not receive massage, and the improvement lasted long after the massage had stopped. What we learned from these and other studies is significant.
Massage actually has an impact on how
baby's brain and body grows and functions!
Massage offers parents an opportunity to connect with their child in a unique way. Massage: