Whether we know it or not, we all have ideas of what our new baby will be like and how we see ourselves as parents. Many delivery hospitals offer group prenatal classes which are a great way to get some generalized information and connect with other expectant parents. Typically these classes only touch briefly on lactation and they are not able to provide individualized support.

A prenatal lactation consult is a perfect time to talk through your hopes and dreams about feeding your baby, get in-depth lactation education, reflect on any previous lactation experiences and determine what you’d like to change or what you hope to repeat, learn how to incorporate lactation into your birth plan, and establish a relationship with your lactation consultant who can seamlessly support you after delivery.

Prenatal consults typically last about 45-60 minutes.

Cost is $200 in person; $175 virtual

No matter how feeding went during the first few days, things invariably will be different once you get home from the delivery hospital! Your breasts undergo significant changes after delivery (often referred to as your “milk coming in”) and this might not have happened yet while you were still in a birthing center with lactation specialists available. Whether it’s breast changes, juggling feeding a baby with the care of other siblings or pets, or figuring out how to navigate adding this newest member into your household, it can be helpful to have someone to walk alongside you!

A consult during the first week after delivery will empower you in establishing your milk supply, learning how to care for your changing breasts, recognizing signs of effective infant feeding, monitoring your infant’s growth and determining what strategies will work best for if your infant is not feeding well.

Initial postpartum consults are typically 1.5-2 hours long.

Cost is $300 in person; $250 virtual

At any point along your journey you can reach out for new or additional lactation support.

The focus of these appointments could range from: managing feeding through growth spurts; breast/nipple pain and latching/positioning challenges; addressing infant changes in feeding patterns at different developmental stages; evaluating infant feeding when you or your pediatrician are concerned the infant is not getting enough; using nipple shields, a supplemental nursing system (SNS) or other lactation aids; knowing how and when to incorporate using a breast pump (and how to maximize milk expression with whatever pump you have); preparing to return to work; managing parent or infant led weaning.

Consults can range from 30 minutes to 2 hours long, depending on the situation.

First visit: Cost is $300 in person; $250 virtual

Follow ups: Cost is $250 in person; $200 virtual