Consulting:
I have a private practice
where I provide home visits for breastfeeding problems, phone support and a weekly support group.
In addition I volunteer my help with special projects for La Leche League.
What happens at
a home visit?
Helping baby to attach and positioning
the mother and the baby comfortably comes first: I work with the mother
to discover what's best for her individual situation. Sometimes the
use of feeding devices, breast pumps or other aids can help the mother
reach her breastfeeding goals; I help the mother decide what she can use. Finally, we come up with a plan for the next few
days, and I followup, by phone, email and at the weekly support group.
Breastfeeding Classes:
My next breastfeeding class is at Yummy Mummy on August 3 at 6:30. Contact them directly at 212 879 8669. I teach breastfeeding classes for pregnant couples. Schedules vary, so check the website or contact me directly. I teach couples in their own home as well. Attending a La Leche League meeting is an excellent way to prepare for breastfeeding. You can meet mothers who already have their babies, and there's nothing like the real thing! Go to llli.org, in the Manhattan section, for schedules.
Support Group in Brooklyn:
At Bend and Bloom, 708 Sackett St. between 4th and 5th Av., 347-987-3162. Every Thursday at 1 pm. Fee is $20, and you may drop in. Meeting other mothers can help so much!
Metropolitan Museum
of Art Tour:
The
Met contains many wonderful paintings, sculpture and decorative objects.
Most people have probably never noticed how many have nursing mothers
and babies as a theme; after I had my first baby I spent time there
and these images became very important to me. I researched the topic
and presented a slide show for the New York Lactation Consultants, and
I continue to give gallery tours. For further information, or to arrange
for a tour, contact me.
General Hints for Breastfeeding
Problems
•
1. If you're in pain, start by adjusting your body
position so that baby's head is very close to you. Bed pillows sometimes
work better than breastfeeding pillows. Use your leg to bring the baby's
head close; use a footstool (nursing stool or phone book or big, fat
dictionary) to give even more support. Support the baby also: turn baby's
hips toward you, tucking the legs between your elbow and your body before
you think of the head.
•
2. Baby's head should be tilted slightly back. They
can do it! In order to drink we need to have our heads tilted a little
bit back, not scrunched forward. Have the pillow touch baby's head and
only put your hand on baby's back and shoulders.
•
3. If baby's not at the breast, make sure your breasts
are drained and stimulated by using hand expression or a good quality
breast pump. Babies feed a mimimum of 8 times in 24 hours, so if the pump is substituting for the baby, pumping needs to happen 8 times a day.
•
4. Babies feed a minimum of 8 times in 24 hours so
be prepared to feed frequently, especially in the early days and weeks.
•
5. The golden rule of milk supply is that the more
you nurse (or express if necessary) the more you make. One of my favorite
phrases: "the emptier you are the fuller you'll be."
How does payment work?
I accept payment at the visit.
I give a receipt which can be submitted to your insurance company for
reimbursement, if your company covers lactation consultant services. I offer a sliding scale if
finances totally prohibit a visit. Phone calls are routine for follow
up, and I do not charge for them (if I feel I need to see you, I'll
tell you). I also answer email from mothers I have visited.
Some Favorite Quotes
"Breastfeeding
is a natural "safety net" against the worst effects of poverty.
If a child survives the first month of life (the most dangerous period
of childhood), exclusive breastfeeding goes a long way toward canceling
out the health difference between being born into poverty and being
born into affluence... it is almost as if breastfeeding takes the infant
out of poverty for those first few months in order to give the child
a fairer start in life and compensate for the injustice of the world
into which it was born."
James P. Grant, Executive Director,
UNICEF
"Breastfeeding
is the first cooperative and collaborative work we do as humans, and this work could not be carried on without cooperation and
collaboration."
Audrey Naylor, founder of Wellstart
"Nurse
me up, mommy, me happy king."
My son Sam, while wearing a Burger King crown
