FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How can Milkwell help me?
Do I need a prenatal lactation visit? Almost everyone can benefit from a prenatal visit! If this is your first baby and you just want to learn more, if you weren’t previously able to meet your breastfeeding goals or if you have a history of low milk supply, PCOS, diabetes or gestational diabetes, infertility or other health concern that might have impacted your conception or pregnancy, a prenatal consultation might give you loads of peace of mind. Many clients choose to come in for a prenatal visit to feel prepared for breastfeeding but this is an entirely personal choice. If you are interested in a prenatal consultation, we recommend coming at the beginning of your last trimester. During the visit your consultant will cover any questions or concerns you have as well as: how to get off to a good start feeding frequency latching techniques making enough milk normal complications and how to handle them hand expression techniques
I'm not sure if I need a lactation consultation. Oh we get it! There are so many variables and everyone is so different! The way we look at it, you CAN do your own taxes but do you know all the things the CPA knows? Can you fix a leaky sink by watching youtube videos? yes! But would you redo your entire house? Probably not. This is your baby's meals and your body's comfort. If you have even a tiny curiosity about whether you might benefit, just know that we can indeed help! We can creatively strategize with you about what might be going on, how to position for greatest comfort, make the most milk, help baby gain weight, incorporate bottles or formula, add in solid foods, help with gassiness, return to work, dry up your milk and everything in between!
What kind of services do you offer? We have 1:1 private consultations for pregnant and new parents in our offices as well as virtual group classes. Our private consults are a place to get really granular and dig into the minute details of what is going on for you specifically. The virtual group classes are a great place to hear basic feeding guidance based on baby's age and developmental needs as well as meet other parents!
How is working with Milkwell different than the hospital lactation support I got? The support that hospital professionals (including IBCLCs) provide is limited to the normal complications that arise in the very early days right after birth. In private practice we see families with babies from newborn through weaning, giving us a rounded experience with various ages and developmental milestones. The help you recieve in hospital might be enough for those first few days but most people end up needing more support once they are home. Thats when you want to look for a private practice IBCLC like we have here at Milkwell™!
Booking your visit
When should I come in for my first visit with baby? Most people come in during the first one to two weeks after birth when things feel tricky. We can help with latching pain, bottle feeding, weight gain, breast pain and so much more. There is no need to do this on your own! But if you dont make it in in those first couple weeks, its OK! We meet people who don't come in until 3, 6 and sometimes 9+ months! We got you!
What should I expect during my first appointment after birth? We will go over your relevant history, birth and lactation information. You'll be asked what YOUR goals are so we can gear our support to you! Depending on what brings you in, we might weight your baby, observe a feeding session, help with positioning, provide feeding guidance and help you create a plan to take baby steps together closer to your goals.
What is the booking or scheduling process? We use an easy online booking system so you can schedule your consultation at any time of day or night! We cannot take bookings over the phone. Please use the website. Milkwell's office administrative assistant answers voicemails during regular business hours. If you need to speak with someone, please call 862.261.2184 and leave a message so she can get back to you. She is usually assisting other Milkwell families or caring for her own, and cannot pick up during office hours but she WILL get back to you if you leave a message. Alternatively, email hello@milkwelllactation.com with your inquiry. We look forward to helping.
Do you offer home visits? As of November 1, 2023 home visits have been temporarily suspended but please check back to see if there have been any changes! We are always adding to our team!
I need to be seen ASAP. Do you have a waitlist? YES! The protocol to be added to the waitlist is to use the online scheduling widget , pick the next available appointment with the provider of your choosing and when you go through the booking process there will be a question that asks if you'd like to be added to the waitlist. Please be sure to indicate yes! We ALWAYS have random openings that are not shown on the calender and we will get you in! Just be sure to get those forms submitted asap because we prioritize those who do! When we have an opening we will call and see if it works for you!
Preparing, Arriving + Parking
What should I bring? We would prefer you to bring everything you usually use to feed your baby EXCEPT your nursing pillows. We have those in office for you to use. So bring your: burp cloths, nipple shields, pump and all its parts, nipple creams, etc. If you are bottle feeding your baby on a regular basis or if your baby does not latch, PLEASE bring a bottle of milk for your baby!
Should I feed baby before the appointment? If you are coming for feeding related questions like pain or baby isn't gaining weight properly then we need to see them feed. If they are not hungry then we cannot make them feed! Try to time your last feed so that baby might be hungry shortly after you arrive. But try not to stress too much over it!
Can I bring my partner or mom? Yes, we encourage you to bring a helpful person along to stay for the consultation. Having an extra set of ears sure helps most people! We totally get it!
Do you have onsite parking and an elevator? Yes and yes! Click through to our Directions page to find more information about our "tricky" driveway, a video of Jen showing you where to park and how to enter the building and more.
Insurance + Payments
Which insurance plans do you accept? We are in network with most Aetna plans, as well as Amerihealth. All other plans including BCBS, Cigna and United will not accept lactation consultants in their networks unless they are also MDs, NPs, or other high level medical professionals. Please speak with your insurance company about their policies.
Why do you need my baby's insurance? Because we take history on both the parent and baby, we evaluate both the parent and the baby and we create plans of care for both parent and the baby, we bill insurance for baby. If your baby is not on your insurance policy, we will bill the parent the standard and typical amount the insurance pays for the baby as per our fee policies. This usually amounts to $71.50. If you are a private pay or cahs pay client, the baby's fee is included in the booking price.
How many visits will I need? Will insurance cover follow up care? Most situations do benefit from multiple sessions to work out all the tricky bits and get parents on their way. Aetna usually covers an adequate amount of sessions but in unusual instances, parents might need to put in a special request for more coverage. For cash pay clients, the coverage is inconsistent. Please reach out to your carrier for guidance.
How do you accept payment? We accept payment at the time of booking via credit card. We will not confirm an appointment without payment or a plan for payment. If you prefer to not use credit card, please reach out to the office administrator to set up alternative arrangements. Please know that a credit card on file may still be required to ensure our services are covered. Please see the fee policies for more information.
What is the cancellation policy? Our cancellation policy as outlined in our fee policies states that cancellations with 24 hours or less will result in a charge of $50. Please call the office or cancel via the portal with more than 24 hours notice to avoid the fee and to give us time to offer the appointment to another family.
You don't accept my insurance. How can I get my insurance company to reimburse me for the out of pocket expense? We are so sorry and we know it can be frustrating when a practice does not accept your insurance policy. Please know it is not because we deo not want to, but rather the companies themselves put unfortunate obstacles in the way that do not allow for it. HOWEVER: The Affordable Care Act does require that insurance companies cover lactation care for the Preventive Care it is! When you speak with your insurance company for the protocol for reimbursement, be sure to remind them that it is preventive health care. You can reach out to your insurance representative to get a GAP expection to have your lactation care covered as if it were in network, but this takes a few weeks and most people's needs are more time sensitive than this option allows for. Check the blog for more information about GAP exceptions. Otherwise, check out the National Women's Law Center for some great resources for getting reimbursed https://nwlc.org/resource/breastfeeding-benefits-understanding-your-coverage-under-the-affordable-care-act/