BREASTFEEDING FAQs
Common questions and answers.
Infant feeding
It’s no secret that breastfeeding is good for both babies and parents. So why can it be so challenging? Part of the answer is a lack of knowledge. Lactation care can help you gain the knowledge you need to reach your unique goals. In the end, whether you breastfeed, bottle-feed, or create your own combination of styles, what matters most is being empowered to make informed decisions. That’s why we’re here.
The journey from belly to birth to baby is a time of intensive learning for families. Our goal is to make it as easy as possible for families to learn breastfeeding skills along this journey. We make it easy to understand your body’s abilities and your baby’s needs so you can find your own success with any infant feeding style. Breastfeeding may not be for everyone, but every family deserves the chance to make an informed choice.
Every breastfeeding family is unique. If things aren’t going perfectly, don’t worry — you are not alone, and lactation care can help. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, or are concerned about your baby’s growth, see our online resources, check out our classes and groups, or simply schedule a lactation consultation to get a personalized assessment and care plan. It’s easy to book online, or call us at 512-808-0237 to talk it out.
Virtually every human has the potential to breastfeed, but breastfeeding isn’t right for everybody. If that is the case for you, we can also help you end lactation safely. Your lactation consultation is a safe space to think through the options for infant feeding, and get care to stay safe and healthy with any infant feeding style.
If your baby is in the NICU, our Lactation Consultants do daily rounds with physicians to provide your baby the best possible care. They also can help you get started with pumping your milk so your milk can be provided to your baby while at the NICU. If your milk is not available, we can help you take advantage of the Donor Expressed Breast Milk (DEBM) program.
We also help families learn how to feed their baby at the breast. As you visit the NICU, we’ll teach you five small-but-powerful breastfeeding steps especially for NICU families.
Once you leave the NICU, we offer ongoing lactation care at our clinics, via telemed, and in your home if needed. We also provide Registered Dietitian support via telemed to ensure optimal nutrition for NICU graduates.
It is our honor to be a part of the discovery of breastfeeding culture for every growing family, whether they are giving birth, adopting, or delivering with the help of a surrogate. Inclusive lactation services are available before, during and after a baby’s arrival.
Many parents are excited to learn that our lactation services can support a non-birth parent with induced lactation or chestfeeding strategies. If you are interested in inducing lactation, the sooner we can work with you before baby arrives the better — but we can help even if you and your baby have been together for months. We are also happy to simply talk through options prior to conception or paperwork.
Our inclusive classes and groups are designed for families of all descriptions. If you wish to focus on goals and strategies specific to your situation, call 512-808-0237 or talk to us to schedule a private consultation or class.
Lactation care
An IBCLC is a Lactation Consultant with the highest credential in breastfeeding medicine. Breastfeeding Success is a team of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) who meet the Board’s rigorous standards and demonstrate specialized skills in the clinical management of breastfeeding and human lactation.
You’ve come to the right place! Breastfeeding Success can help you learn about lactation and breastfeeding for the first time, optimize your technique, or address all your lactation concerns. You can start learning online with helpful videos and lactation care plans. If you’re preparing for a new arrival, check out our parent education classes and groups. For personalized, one on one lactation care explore our services and book an appointment online.
The goal of any lactation consultation is to identify and address any issues associated with breastfeeding. Your lactation consultant will listen carefully to your concerns, assess you and your baby, and observe a feeding session to provide a personalized care plan. Explore our services to get the support you need, or 512-808-0237 for help.
A lactation consultation takes 1 to 1.5 hours. Whether your consultation is online or in-person, make sure that your baby is hungry so we can observe an entire feeding session. During in-clinic and in-home visits, babies are weighed before and after feeding to document breast milk intake. It is also helpful to bring any breastfeeding equipment you are using or need help with.
From your visit, you’ll get a personalized care plan including evidence-based recommendations to improve health and comfort for you and your baby, as well as follow-up care by phone or in person. Follow-up consultations take 1 hour.
How it works
When families give birth at a hospital or birthing center we serve, lactation care is a seamless part of the birth experience. A Breastfeeding Success IBCLC will visit to assess your needs and help with everything from baby’s oral anatomy to milk supply strategies, optimal latch and positioning, and personalized problem-solving to reach your lactation goals.
Breastfeeding Success is the lactation care provider for Ascension Seaton, Ascension Providence, Cedar Park Medical Center, Dell Children’s Medical Center, Austin Regional Clinic (ARC), and Austin Area Birthing Center. Our birthing facility list is continually growing — to find out more, contact us or call 512-808-0237.
Breastfeeding success is evidence-based lactation care that’s medically integrated, supervised, and shared with your primary care providers. We will share our findings with your baby’s pediatrician or your OBGYN as needed. After any lactation consultation, you’ll get a written care plan that’s easy to follow and reference at any of your appointments.
You can get our lactation services at our clinic locations, via telemed, or even in your home. Call 512-808-0237 for help booking a consultation.
We offer 24×7 phone support at 512-808-0237 — the first 15 minutes of general lactation information are free! If you need more care, we will help you schedule a lactation consultation or other service as needed.
Costs and insurance
Lactation care is a covered benefit many parents don’t realize they have. Breastfeeding Success services are in-network with all major insurers. If we are not in-network with your insurer, you can file for reimbursement. If you do not have insurance, you can pay out of pocket and talk to us about sliding scale options. Learn more about costs and insurance.
Many of our classes can be taken as a covered benefit. Breastfeeding Success services are in-network with all major insurers, but parent education benefits vary. When you create your class account, enter your insurance information so we can check your benefits. We keep our class costs low so more families can opt to pay out of pocket as needed. Contact us about sliding scale options, too.
Lactation services coverage is required under The Affordable Care Act of 2012. See costs and insurance for tips for working with your insurer.
We use a patient portal to communicate with families about consultation notes, care plans, and bills in one secure place. You will receive a welcome email asking you to register on the portal when you make your first appointment. If you need more tips on using the portal, see our patient support.
Breastfeeding equipment
If you are pumping in order to establish or increase milk supply, you will find more success with a hospital-grade pump. If your milk supply is low or your baby is not able to drain the breast with breastfeeding every 1.5 to 3 hrs, we recommend a hospital-grade breast pump.
A hospital-grade pediatric scale can measure how much milk is able to transfer from the breast and is a useful tool for assessing a baby’s growth. To rent a scale, call us at 512-808-0237.
Renting is a great way to get quality pumps and scales at a lower price.
Our hospital-grade pediatric scales are precise to 2g or .1oz as compared to only to the 10 grams(g) or 0.5 ounce(oz) sensitivity of most scales available for purchase. Renting a scale gives you the accuracy needed to determine how much breast milk your baby has consumed. To rent a breast pump, call us at 512-808-0237.
Call us at 512-808-0237. Renting from Breastfeeding Success helps build breastfeeding culture. All proceeds from our pump and scale rentals go directly into continuing education for our team and for staff at our partner birthing facilities.
Finding support
Our classes and groups are a great way to practice skills, connect with families on the parent journey right alongside you, and build your village of support. Many of our classes can be taken as a covered insurance benefit.
In order to care for a baby, we must care for ourselves. We offer mental wellness classes as well as parent-to-parent connection sessions that can help. See our classes and groups to learn more. You can also find a mental health provider that specializes in post-partum and parental mental health. Here are two resources to try:
1. Pregnancy and Postpartum Health Alliance of Texas (PPHA) — A great resource for Texans that promotes awareness, education, and resources for the prevention and treatment of perinatal mood disorders. Visit PPHATX.org to learn more.
2. Postpartum Support International (PSI) — This organization is dedicated to helping families suffering from postpartum depression, anxiety, and distress. Visit online at postpartum.net or call 1-800-944-4773.
3. Psychology Today Therapist Finder — Props to the people who’ve made it easy to find providers just-right mental health providers. Easy filters let you search for therapists in your local area who take your insurance and have the exact expertise you need. Visit PsychologyToday.com/us/therapists to search.
Breastfeeding Success is a team of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) and Registered Dieticians (RDs), and certified parent educators. We’re here to help you with lactation care, optimal infant feeding from birth to age two, and more. We can also help you identify any specialists needed to address your families unique needs, including:
Postpartum or pediatric doulas
Pediatric ear, nose, and throat (ENT) specialists
Pediatric speech language therapists
Pediatric dentists
Pediatric craniosacral therapists
Pediatric chiropractic care
testing
Need Personalized Care, Now?
Call us anytime to discuss your concerns. Let us know what you are experiencing — we’re here to help you find success.
