You might be curious what a lactation consult looks like at Aloha Nutrition. Our team offers both virtual consults worldwide and in-home breastfeeding consults to families in Cape Cod, MA, Southeast Iowa, and outside Denver, Colorado.

No matter where you’re located, we can help. You might have a general idea of what an in-home consult looks like—a lactation consultant comes to your home and helps you with breastfeeding—but what does that actually entail? Here’s what a typical in-home and virtual lactation consult looks like at Aloha Nutrition:

 

What does an In-home lactation consult look like?

Before we come to your house:

We ask that you complete our electronic Breastfeeding Consent form and intake form, which are emailed through our HIPAA-compliant platform, Practice Better. We use this platform for all scheduling, charting, secure messaging, and payments. HIPAA compliance means your information is secure and protected.

By signing the consent form, you acknowledge that we are lactation consultants—not medical doctors—and understand our scope of practice does not include diagnosing. Our intake form helps us understand your situation and how we can best support your breastfeeding journey.

We’ll send an invoice ahead of time if insurance doesn’t cover the visit and encourage prepayment for convenience.

We also ask that you avoid feeding your baby too close to the appointment. A hungry baby helps us observe a full feeding. But if your baby is too fussy, go ahead and give a small amount to hold them over.

And please—don’t clean your house for us! We’re here to reduce your stress, not add to it.

 

What to expect while we’re at your house

We’ll bring our infant scale, which measures up to 2 grams—perfect for observing how much milk your baby takes in at the breast. We’ll weigh your baby before and after the feeding to calculate intake.

Next, we’ll ask about your pregnancy, birth, health history, and current concerns. If baby is too hungry to wait, we’ll latch first and talk after.

We’ll observe how you latch and hold your baby and offer guidance if needed. After one side, we’ll assess your baby’s anatomy and oral function—checking for things like tongue/lip ties, high palate, or sensitive gag reflex. Then we’ll offer the other breast and do another weight check.

If needed, we’ll review your pump, check flange size, and teach hand expression.

At the end of the visit, we’ll review our findings and work with you on a personalized care plan. If additional providers are needed (e.g. speech therapist, pediatric dentist, chiropractor), we’ll offer referrals. If follow-up is needed, we’ll schedule it with you.

 

What to expect after the consult

After the consult, we will email you a Superbill, which is a medical receipt that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. We will also write a report and fax it to the pediatrician, if you give us permission to do so. We’ll follow up within a few days or a week, depending on your case.

What does a virtual lactation consult look like?

Many families are surprised to learn just how much we can accomplish in a virtual lactation consult. You might assume breastfeeding support requires hands-on help, but that’s not always the case. While we can’t do a weighted feed virtually, we can still assess oral function, help with latching and positioning, check for signs of tongue or lip ties, review your flange size, and guide you through pumping, milk storage, bottle introduction, and more.

Virtual consults are done through our secure, HIPAA-compliant platform, Practice Better, and last about one hour.

Before the session, we’ll send you an intake form, consent form, and invoice. Afterward, you’ll get a personalized care plan, a Superbill for insurance reimbursement, and access to our private support group for continued connection and guidance.

 

Do you have any questions about anything? Ready to book your appointment? Check out our breastfeeding services here.