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How should I prepare for my appointment?

  • Make sure you complete your intake form.

  • Plan for 2h

  • Please have baby's Blue Health Record on hand and whatever nipple cream/ointment, medications, nipple shield, breast pump, feeding cups, syringes, tubes, bottles, etc. that you are using. If you are supplementing, have a typical feeding prepared.

  • Of course we can't keep baby waiting, but please do your best to time feeds so baby is just starting to get hungry around the time our appointment is scheduled to start. I'll need to see baby eat, so avoid giving a full feed just before we are about to start.

What happens after our appointment?

  • If you have had a prenatal or postnatal consultation, I will prepare a written summary of our consultation including an assessment and plan for you to refer to.  This will include additional information to support your plan.

  • If we decided that you should be seen at a breastfeeding clinic, I will make that referral.

  • If needed, follow-up appointments will be scheduled.

Can you really help me through a virtual consult?

Over the past few years, I have helped several thousand families through telehealth. If there was one silver lining from the pandemic, it was that we had to reimagine the way we offer services. Some things, like telehealth worked so well we decided to keep them around.

 

My secure platform allows me to fully assess your situation, help you with techniques for latching and pumping and help you make a plan to get things back on track. With your help, I can even assess how baby is moving their tongue and the rest of their body. It is helpful to have a helper with you who can be your camaraperson to help me see what I need to see and I will teach you how to examine your own baby, step by step. Doing it yourself with my guidance not only facilitates your learning and helps you understand things on a deeper level, but it empowers you and helps build your confidence, all from the comfort and safety of your home.

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Time after time, families have told me how much they appreciate this completely hands-off approach!

Can you assess for tongue-tie?

Absolutely! In fact we'll do it together. I'll walk you through all the things we need to look at to see how your baby's tongue is moving (or isn't). Not all tongue-ties need to be treated. It's a complex evaluation that usually happens over time and depends on how well things improve with other interventions. I'll make sure you understand the process every step of the way so you can make an informed decision.

Why did you tell me something different than the doctor or the nurse?

By the time most people see me, they've already seen several other professionals to try to solve their problem.  Doctors and nurses usually are not trained to solve complex nursing problems. As an IBCLC, I really should be able to offer you something different, so I hope I am telling you something different and offering you different solutions.  Otherwise, why did you hire me?

Can you fix it in one appointment?

Well I would love to have a magic wand that would allow me to do this, but solving infant feeding problems takes time. After the first appointment, you will know the cause of your difficulties and what to do to make it better. You'll get a written summary of our appointment including a detailed care plan. There is a really good chance that you start to see improvement right away.

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Each case is unique and most clients need between 1 and 3 appointments.

Are your services covered by RAMQ or private insurance? 

I would really love to be able to tell you yes, but unfortunately I can't.

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Like many allied health care professionals, IBCLCs are not covered by RAMQ. If you have private insurance, you'll need to check to see if your policy covers it, but in most cases, it does not. This means families must pay out of pocket and IBCLC care is just not accessible to many and I STRONGLY feel this needs to change. If you would like to help make this happen, please click below to learn how.

What if I need to cancel?

No problem! Just let me know at least 24 hours before your appointment and your deposit will be refunded in full, no questions asked.

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What if something comes up?  Stuff happens, I get it! If it's a true emergency, like you are back at the hospital, give me a call and we'll reschedule. But if you've changed your mind or you just don't feel like it, I do expect you to give me enough notice to call the next person on my waiting list, otherwise I cannot return your deposit.  It's not fair to make me lose income or take a spot that someone else would have wanted.

Refunds / Payment / Guarantees

  • Invoices can be paid online via secure bank transfer or credit card.

  • Full refund will be given for cancellations with at least 24 hours’ notice. No refunds will be given for services rendered.

  • In healthcare, outcomes cannot be guaranteed.  This is also true for lactation care.  While in the vast majority of cases, with time we are able to resolve the problem, sometimes, despite doing everything possible, we do not get the results we hoped for.  Refunds will not be given due to lack of improvement.

Confidentiality

Like any healthcare professional, your work with me is confidential.  In order to facilitate care, I may request permission to discuss your situation with another healthcare professional who you are working with.

My secure electronic health records and telehealth platform ensures your intake form, chart notes and our video call remain private.

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If I feel you are your baby are in immediate danger, like all healthcare providers am required to report to the appropriate emergency authority.

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