What to do if you need professional lactation support but can't afford it

     

        Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/17939157@N00/  

If you are having difficulty breastfeeding, it's important to get help early to get things back on track as quickly as possible. Newborn babies nurse very often and follow instinctual feeding cues which establish the foundation for a solid breastfeeding dynamic. Not reaching out for help during the early postpartum period can have unintended consequences for the future of your breastfeeding relationship. But this doesn't just apply to the newborn period- sometimes problems crop up later on down the road as well. Delaying getting help when you have sore or cracked nipples can lead to infection on the nipple, or even mastitis.

We believe that all mamas and babies deserve the vital support that lactation professionals provide. Please do not let your financial situation stand in your way of reaching out for support. When a stumbling block is encountered and it seems like hiring an LC is financially impossible, consider these potential solutions!

• Ask your insurance company to cover the fee. That is their obligation under the Affordable Care Act. Lactation services are categorized under preventative health care and should be covered with no co pay or cost sharing. Because this legislation is still new, your mileage may vary.

• Use your HSA card!

• Or, pay first and seek reimbursement from your insurance provider after. We always provide a coded bill to our clients so that they can be reimbursed after a lactation visit.

• Consider a payment plan. This could be an arrangement with your LC herself to spread out the fee over time, or using Paypal to "Buy Now Pay Later". Rest assured that she has probably been asked before if she would take the fee for a lactation visit in installments and, while she may or may not offer that service, she won't think less of you for asking.

• Ask for it as a baby gift from friends and relatives. Someone wants to shower you with more baby stuff? Your coworkers want to go in on a "big gift" together? Ask for the funds you need to cover these valuable services.

• If possible, plan ahead and save a little money each month during your pregnancy that is ear-marked for getting breastfeeding off the ground. This might include lactation visits, breastfeeding supplies, or chiropractic care. You may never need to spend the money in your "lactation fund", but if you do need to, you'll know it's there. 

• Sell items you have been meaning to get rid of. I can personally think of at least 3 things in my home that we aren't using or loving but that have real value to someone else. Bonus to selling these items to pay for a lactation consultant is that you will free up valuable space in your home!

• Temporarily rearrange some categories in your budget. Can you give up 2 date nights or cut your grocery budget in half one week? Do you have both Hula and Netflix, and could you give up your subscription to one of them? 

• Borrow the money, or collect on money that a family member might owe to you! Did your sister's family say that they would pay half for a vacation rental you shared and you both said you'd get the money back "later"? Now is a great time.

• Offer a barter of services. Are you a web designer or math tutor? Does your partner have his own business doing landscaping, accounting, or catering? We truly believe that everyone has something to offer, and while the LC you are trying to schedule with might not be interested in a barter, it is worth it to ask! It is, at any rate, more respectful to all parties to offer to trade the equivalent value of your time and skills for her time and skills than to simply ask for her to waive or lower her prices.

• And finally, utilize the many free support options that are available to you. La Leche League groups, Baby Cafes, WIC peer counselors, and free hospital moms groups are great places to start. We tend to refer moms to in person support with a trained leader over internet support simply because breastfeeding advice given online without being able to actually observe the mother and baby can sometimes do more harm than good. But there are so many places moms can get breastfeeding support for free! Remember that volunteer breastfeeding helpers are passionate, but can only do so much because they have families and work of their own. However this option may buy you a bit of time while you figure out one of the other suggestions above.

Know when to ask for help: If it is sometimes difficult to latch your baby on or positioning feels awkward, if you are experiencing nipple, breast, or shoulder pain, if you aren't sure if you have enough milk, if baby is fussy, gassy, spits up frequently, you're considering an elimination diet, baby loses weight during the first few weeks, or isn't having yellow stools by the 4th day of life, we'd like you to know that things could be better!

The Fourth Trimester is honored to be your advocate. Call us for a free breastfeeding consultation. 

Gladis  - 727-657-7370     Emily - 727-452-4809

Email: fourthtri@gmail.com  www.TheFourthTrimester.net