Abby Block, CM, LM, IBCLC, LCCE

Midwife & Lactation Consultant

 

Lactation &
Breastfeeding Services

 
 

Compassionate Guidance

Successful lactation is a learned behavior, and parents almost always need guidance and support to make it happen! By preparing yourself with prenatal lactation education and by bringing in a lactation consultant if you come up against concerns or challenges, your feeding journey will undoubtedly run a smoother course. Both pregnancy and postpartum are vulnerable times for new and experienced parents. When I join you for a session, I will take great care to listen to your concerns and needs without judgement, and promise to address what is important to you. Sometimes feeding journeys may not look or feel as you expected in the beginning, but with proper support, guidance, and patience, most families are able to feed as they wish. Every family’s feeding circumstances are unique, and I look forward helping you on yours!

In-home consultation

Lactation visits take place in your home, or on zoom by request. Usually they last about two hours and consist of your medical, pregnancy, and birthing experience history, observing a feeding session, and assessing both you and your baby both at rest, during, and after a feeding. I bring a specialized lactation scale to weigh your baby before and after feeding to obtain accurate assessment of their milk transfer. I’ll ask you questions about your feeding journey, what your goals and challenges are, and what’s been working. Based on your concerns, I will provide you with individualized education, tips, techniques, positioning, and resources or referrals as needed. You will have text access to me for the three days following the day of your session, and you have the option to book a follow up session at a reduced fee if you feel you need continuing support.

Support to reach your goals

Once we complete the session, you will receive a care plan that states what we discussed, what was assessed, and recommendations for you as you move forward in your lactation journey. I am committed to providing new parents with evidence-based care, which I draw on from my years of background in lactation training, midwifery education, and birth and postpartum work. Often times new families are faced with conflicting advice from family, friends, the internet and medical personnel. I strive to make sense of the info coming at you from various sources and direct you to reputable resources, all the while providing you with a realistic plan that will be clear, can be altered as we go along, and most importantly, that makes sense for you and your baby.

A lactation session can address the following:

  • Insufficient or slow weight gain

  • NICU babies

  • Bottle feeding - introduction or refusal

  • Pumping and milk storage

  • Flange fitting

  • Hand or manual expression

  • Returning to work

  • Starting solids

  • Weaning

  • Relactation or induced lactation

  • Any of your burning questions!

  • Latch difficulties

  • Positioning

  • Nipple or breast pain

  • Hunger and satiation cues

  • How to know your baby is getting enough milk

  • Low or over supply

  • Engorgement

  • Fast or slow letdown

  • Fussiness or sleepiness at the breast/chest

  • Increasing supply

  • Supplementation

Lactation Services

The Complete Lactation Package

  • Pre-birth consultation & educational session,
    complete with handouts and resources (zoom)

  • Immediate postpartum visit, a day of birth or within a few days afterwards (in-person)

  • Follow up visit (in-person)

  • 2 additional virtual follow-ups (zoom)

  • Text support in between sessions, for up to one month

A La Carte

  • Initial Lactation Session (1.5 - 2 hrs), in-person

  • Follow-up Lactation Session (1-1.5 hrs), in-person

  • Initial Lactation Session (1.5 hr), via zoom

  • Follow-up Lactation Session (1 hr), via zoom

  • Private Prenatal Lactation Class/Consult (1.5 hr), via zoom

    * Lactation sessions include 5 days of support via text following your session