Preparing for your appointment.

1) Choose a quiet, comfortable, strong-bandwidth location:

Before your virtual visit, choose a quiet location where you can comfortably feed your baby. Avoid noisy areas, such as your home's busy kitchen or a loud shop where your baby might get distracted. Select a place where you can feel comfortable attempting a feed. It's also important to ensure that you have a strong and stable internet connection.

2) Gather any relevant materials before the session begins:

In preparation for your consultation, gather any items/products you are currently using day to day for feeds or are thinking about starting to use, such as a breast pump and flanges, nursing pillow, any nipple cream you're using, your nursing bra, etc. You may also want to have a notebook and pen handy to take notes during the session.

3) Complete and submit your intake forms well before your appointment:

During your online lactation consultation, I will want to spend as much time as possible helping you with solutions to your concerns. By completing intake forms ahead of time, we can focus more on helping and less on paperwork. Be prepared to share any relevant information such as previous baby weights, how often your baby feeds or any pain or discomfort you may be experiencing. If growth or milk supply are some of your main concerns, please arrange to weigh your baby at your local clinic as close to our appointment date as you can, and share this weight and any others you have documented with me.

4) Be open and honest:

In order to receive the best possible guidance and support, it's important to be open and honest with me. Don't be afraid to ask questions or share any concerns you may have. I am here to support you in reaching your goals, tell me what that is for you and your baby and I’ll do everything I can to help you get there.

5) Ask a support person to hold the phone/camera:

The use of a camera during your virtual visit can be extremely helpful, but if you're trying to hold it yourself, it might be difficult to show me a "real" nursing situation. I can observe your baby's latch and positioning best from a very close angle, so it's easiest if you can get a partner or family member to play camera-person. If another person is not available to support your visit, finding a stable location to prop your device can be helpful to allow your hands to support feeding not filming.