How To Prepare

 

Step 1: Complete Your Forms Online

We use Jane Scheduling to allow our clients to manage their appointments, forms, and more. Please login here to complete required forms for each new appointment. Also if you have been seen by us for a previous baby, you will need new forms for your newborn. This will help your IBCLC to be most prepared to address your concerns.

Forms not on file at the start of your appointment time can affect the length of your appointment, as all forms must be on file before your appointment can begin. Incomplete forms can affect our ability to bill your insurance, and may result in charges to you.

Step 2: Review Your Insurance

We are currently in-network with almost all plans under Aetna, BCBS, and United. If your primary insurance coverage is through any of those companies, you can expect that The Breastfeeding Center will submit the insurance claim to your insurance company for you. You will only hear from us about payment if anything is required from you (and usually it’s not).

Our out-of-network clients pay up front at the cash rate (see here) at the time of service. We can then either provide you with the forms to submit to your insurer for reimbursement via email.

Click here for more in-depth information on insurance coverage and here for information on our financial assistance program.

 

Step 3: Review What You Need For Your Appointment

Click your appointment type below for more information on how to prepare! Can’t make your appointment? Please review our cancellation policy here.

  • Please leave an extra 10-15 minutes to navigate construction and/or parking. There is sometimes waiting-only area outside The Center, where you can put on your flashers and be dropped off. Click here for all DC office parking and directions.

    Momease office appointments: 1414 Prince St, Suite 330, Alexandria, VA 22314

    Nurture Nook office appointments: 8320 Professional Hill Dr, Fairfax, VA 22031

    Metropolitan Pediatrics office appointments: 3803 Fairfax Dr Suite 300, Arlington, VA 22203

    Everything else:

    1. We suggest offering a feed at about 2.5 hours prior to your appointment. This usually lines things up so that baby is hungry (but not hangry) by appt time. If 2.5 hours prior doesn’t feel like a natural feeding time on the day of your appt, just offer anyway. Even a little snack-feed at 2.5 hours prior will help. You know your baby best though, so if you need to do sooner or later, that's fine. What we're trying to avoid is any feeding at all in the 90 minutes prior to the appt time. If you have questions just text our team at 202.293.5182.

    2. Bring any relevant supplies to your appointment (pump parts, pumps, bottles, pumped milk, formula, etc).

  • We can’t wait to see you in-person for your appointment in your home! You get to relax in the comfort of your own home while you and your consultant work through your questions and challenges.

    Some helpful ways to prepare:

    1. We suggest offering a feed at about 2.5 hours prior to your appointment. This usually lines things up so that baby is hungry (but not hangry) by appt time. If 2.5 hours prior doesn’t feel like a natural feeding time on the day of your appt, just offer anyway. Even a little snack-feed at 2.5 hours prior will help. You know your baby best though, so if you need to do sooner or later, that's fine. What we're trying to avoid is any feeding at all in the 90 minutes prior to the appt time. If you have questions just text our team at 202.293.5182.

    2. Please have your wifi username/password ready for your consultant in order to streamline the process of taking your medical history on an ipad or computer.

    3. No need to change out of your pajamas, stay comfy!

    4. It’s helpful to have a partner or helper available during your appointment.

    Reminder: Home visits do have a travel fee of $125 that is not ever covered by insurance as it is an administrative (rather than healthcare) cost. You can, however, use FSA/HSA funds for this cost.

  • Preparing for your telehealth consult will be much like preparing for a home visit - you get to relax in the comfort of your own home while you and your consultant work through your questions and challenges.

    Some helpful ways to prepare:

    1. Complete all forms before your appointment via your Jane Account (see step 1 above).

    2. No need to change out of your pajamas, stay comfy!

    3. Bring a friend! Partners and support people can be helpful for telehealth appointments so that they can hold the camera to help your consultant get a good view.

    4. Bring baby! In most cases your consultant will want to observe a feeding (even if a feeding assesment is not necessary, your consultant will likely want to visually assess baby). We suggest offering a feed at about 2.5 hours prior to your appointment. This usually lines things up so that baby is hungry (but not hangry) by appt time. If 2.5 hours prior doesn’t feel like a natural feeding time on the day of your appt, just offer anyway. Even a little snack-feed at 2.5 hours prior will help. You know your baby best though, so if you need to do sooner or later, that's fine. What we're trying to avoid is any feeding at all in the 90 minutes prior to the appt time. If you have questions just text our team at 202.293.5182.

    5. Have your supplies ready, including pump parts, your pump, etc.

    6. Your consultant will email you the Virtual Meeting invite shortly before your appointment, if you’re joining on a computer just click the link. If you’re joining from an iphone or ipad you will want to download this app (iphone/ipad) ahead of time.

    For your records, please read and print or save a copy of these forms for your records:

    1. HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practice

    2. Consent for Treatment and Billing

    3. Cancelation Policy

  • We are so glad you’ve chosen to schedule a prenatal appointment! Meeting with your lactation consultant before your baby comes is invaluable preparation that we find really assists in enabling you to meet your breastfeeding goals! Here’s what you need to know to so that you and your consultant can make the most out of your appointment time together:

    1. Complete all forms before your appointment via your Jane Account (see step 1 above).

    2. All prenatal appointments are by telehealth right now, so no need to change out of your pajamas, stay comfy!

    3. It’s helpful to have a partner or helper available who can hold the device with the camera and move it around as needed. Consultants may want to observe things up close or from different angles.

    4. Your consultant will email you the Virtual Meeting invite shortly before your appointment, if you’re joining on a computer just click the link. If you’re joining from an iphone or ipad you will want to download this app (iphone/ipad) ahead of time.

    For your records please read and print or save a copy of these forms for your records:

    1. HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practice

    2. Consent for Treatment and Billing

    3. Cancelation Policy

 

Step 4: After Your Appointment

Your Consult Notes

Shortly after your appointment, you will be notified via email that your visit notes have been added to your patient portal. You can log on at any time to review notes and past appointments, and to schedule additional appointments. If questions come up between appointments, you can reach the Warm Line or your LC here.

You can also take advantage of other services we offer at The Breastfeeding Center:

 

  • Babywearing can be an invaluable tool in early parenting and can help you conveniently(!) meet your baby's needs while attending to your own. Learn more about Babywearing Support at The Breastfeeding Center here.

  • Our shop is stocked with nursing/pumping essentials, as well as fun baby shower gifts. You can order online and choose shipping, delivery, or same-day pick up!

  • We offer classes ranging from childbirth prep through toddlerhood, and many are covered by insurance. You can see our full listing and register for classes here.

  • We accept donations of breastmilk through the Milk Bank at Austin. We also dispense donor milk through the same Milk Bank. You can learn about becoming a donor or a recipient here.

  • We always have hospital-grade pumps and scales available to rent, including the Medela Symphony, Ameda Platinum, Spectra S3 HGP and the Medela Babyweigh and Medela Babychecker scales. You can find more information here.

  • We'll talk about size changes you can expect, troubleshoot fit issues you’re having or that you’d like to avoid, discuss pros/cons of different brands/styles for you, and answer any questions. Breasts/chests and bras come in so many different shapes, and everyone has very different lifestyle/fit needs, work to someone who can help you put these puzzle pieces together for a fit that gives you a sigh of relief! Book here.

  • During this on-site appt at our location at 1020 19th St, we will test your pump and your parts with a highly sensitive mmHg gauge that can help determine if one of your parts has failed, or if the motor of the pump is functioning properly. It's vital that we test your pump with YOUR parts to help eliminate each possible point of failure, so please bag up everything you have related to your pump! If your pump and parts are functioning properly, we can discuss other potential avenues to address your concern. Book here.

  • Stop by The Center any time that we're open for a 1-hour reserved block of time to do a weighted feed in our Classroom space. This reserved time will be solo, without the help of staff or an IBCLC, so if you have lactation questions that you need to address along with a weighted feed, we suggest booking an in-person Lactation Appt, or making sure to schedule a Telehealth follow up with your IBCLC after your weighted feed. Directions are posted by the scale, and pillows/chairs/benches available. Book here.

  • Our staff can work directly with your HR department to ensure your employer is in compliance with all state and federal laws around nursing/pumping, as well as helping set up a lactation program at your workplace. Click here for more information.