Frequently Asked Questions
What can I expect at an appointment with a Lactation Consultant?
You can expect your lactation consultant to offer a full breastfeeding assessment pertinent to your situation. This assessment includes:
Mother
Full health, lifestyle, pregnancy, and birth history as it pertains to lactation.
Breast and nipple examination to assess structure and functionality, including glandular abnormalities, breast lumps, infections, engorgement, mastitis etc.
Identification of breast or nipple conditions that might affect breastfeeding, such as flat or inverted nipples, cracked nipples, blisters, scar tissue from piercings or surgery.
Milk assessment relative to your stage of lactation (colostrum, transitional milk, and mature milk), including volume assessment (as needed) and transfer to your baby or volume expressed.
Infant
A complete oral examination to assess development, anatomy, and suckling ability.
Urine Output/Bowel movement assessment.
Feeding history and assessment.
Weight checks (if required).
Feeding
A complete feeding assessment, including the evaluation and discussion of supplements.
Positioning and attachment guidance.
Follow Up
You will receive a comprehensive care plan and supporting documentation/articles specific to your breastfeeding concerns (if relevant).
You are welcome to contact us to discuss how your care plan is working for you up to 2 days after the appointment.
Some breastfeeding situations require multiple visits and additional consultations might be suggested.
Documentation will be sent to your doctor/healthcare provider as needed.
You will receive an Receipt to file with Medicare/health fund for reimbursement if you are eligible.
Your lactation consultant is a professional and a part of your family's health care network, however, our approach is anything but clinical. During your consultation, you can expect a warm, relaxed approach to your breastfeeding situation. The goal is to normalise any breastfeeding issues and to help fit breastfeeding into your day-to-day life. Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing will work with you and your baby to develop a care plan for breastfeeding that is individualised and realistic for your situation.
My baby is having difficulty feeding. How many appointments will it take to solve the problem?
With a proper assessment and accurate advice most breastfeeding problems can be rectified during one appointment. However sometimes breastfeeding problems may take subsequent appointments to fully rectify the problem or at the very least give you the proper tools/education to deal with it yourself. Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing are about empowering women and making their breastfeeding journey one to enjoy. We generally would see our clients for a couple of appointments until they feel comfortable with feeds and parenting. We have worked with parents for a one off consultation through to eight (which has been the most so far)!
I have seen a Lactation Consultant after giving birth, but I am still having problems. How will an appointment with Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing help me?
Having a private in-home/virtual personalised appointment at a mutually agreeable time that is specific to your situation means that most breastfeeding issues can be resolved for you. Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing are highly skilled and can provide you with the skills and knowledge to ensure as smooth a transition as you navigate through breastfeeding your newborn. The majority of your time breastfeeding will be done in your home, so where better to have your appointment!
How do I pay for my visit with Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing?
Our easy online booking system will process your full payment at time of booking. Once our consultation is complete a receipt will be issued which can be used to claim via Medicare (if relevant) or with your private health fund. Additional travel costs incurred with distances over 40mins will be invoiced separately and can be paid via cash on the day or bank transfer or paid via the link on the invoice. Medicare will rebate clients up to 6weeks and 6days only. Private Health funds can cover some/all of costs beyond that.
How does a virtual appointment via Zoom work?
Our end to end encrypted Electronic health record can hold all the data, photos and videos you send through to us safely and securely. We ask that once you have booked your virtual consultation that you complete our intake questionnaire and forward us some videos and photos of you baby(s) and feeding so that we can see how things are going for you. A virtual consultation works well if you are able to have an additional person hold the camera for you if we need to see feeding. I can then ask them to focus on certain angles when feeding. We can also cover questions only during these consults.
I do not want to provide my personal information to Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing
Our consultations include a thorough history of you and your baby. This helps us assess your personal situation and advise appropriately. Under APHRA, Medicare and Private Health fund we have a professional duty to accurately assess our patients history. This is a requirement.
I have booked an appointment and have the Intake Questionnaire to complete - it is so long!
Yes you are right, our questionnaire is long and you may not understand how your medical history, puberty, birth or oral health are relevant to our assessment of your feeding. But it is. Some medical conditions can mean breastfeeding may be difficult or not happen for you, a traumatic birth can affect you physically and mentally and puberty plays a big part in breast development. Most of our questionnaire is tick boxes and opportunities to add in additional text in some places if you wish to expand further. It takes on average 10-15mins to complete.
What is your online portal that I have received an invitation to?
After your consultation with Adelaide Lactation Consultants, Midwifery & Hypnobirthing, you will receive an invitation to an online portal which will have your Care Pathway attached and any other documentation deemed relevant to your appointment. This is usually sent within 72 hours (sometimes longer). All of our correspondence will be done via this portal. I have many clients and this is the place we will communicate. I will often not reply to standard text or email unless in this portal. It is one place where I can keep track of everyone’s questions. This is secure and encrypted and therefore a safe mode of correspondence.
How do I claim through Medicare?
On the day of our consultation once the service has been rendered, a receipt will be left with you with relevant item numbers to claim back via Medicare. Medicare only covers up to 6w6days postnatally on the day of appointment. Private health funds can cover appointments beyond this age provided you have relevant cover.
When are appointments for package clients?
Our package clients are able to use their visits within the first 6 weeks from birth. These appointments are Monday - Friday only (unless at the midwives discretion out of these times).
