Essential Lactation

Virtual Circle Support

Full Circle Lactation Support available even if you’re outside of Whatcom & Skagit Counties WA.

Virtual visits available in most states.

The Full Circle Virtual

Virtual Support

Secure telehealth breastfeeding support provided by an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.

  • Best for: Complex clinical cases (low supply, multiples, tongue ties) or consistent partnership through the Fourth Trimester.

  • Two 75-Minute Clinical Consults: Space them out as your baby grows and feeding needs evolve. Video calls held on my secure, HIPAA-compliant PracticeQ platform.

    6 weeks of Circle Messaging Support: 6 weeks of clinical partnership; send me videos of latches or pump challenges anytime.

    The Evolving Plan: We revise and update your clinical plan after each session to reflect your progress.

    The Full Circle Family Portal: Lifetime access to The Essential Archives (my expert resource vault) and monthly sessions in The Full Circle Common Room (my virtual parent support group). Your support doesn’t end when your package does.

  • Priority Booking: Guaranteed virtual slot within 24 hours for any urgent feeding flares.

$550

$250 (In Network - select plans)

(In Network plans may cover most costs; Out-of-Network plans may cover some or most costs; check out the FAQs for more)

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The Essential Arc

Virtual Support

Sara Manske, RN IBCLC, providing a virtual lactation visit for a mother learning flange sizing and pumping strategies via secure video.

  • The Arc of Support: The most popular path. We move from clinical assessment to your custom plan.

    Best for: Pump fittings and optimization, back to work transition, infant oral function assessements, or building a sustainable, pain-free feeding rhythm.

  • 75-Minute Detailed Consult: Full clinical history, visual feeding assessment, and a detailed plan for milk transfer and supply. Video calls held on my secure, HIPAA-compliant PracticeQ platform.

    A Personalized Plan: A comprehensive clinical care plan tailored to your family's unique goals.

    14 Days of Circle Support: Unlimited private messaging and assessment of video latch uploads and real-time reassurance.

    Essential Care Kit Digital Access: Lifetime access to my curated digital collection of resources to give you exactly what you need for this moment. From mastering the First Drops to navigating newborn sleep cues, these are the clinical foundations. Your support doesn’t end when your package does.

  • You’ll get timely support with latch, learning feeding cues, and what to expect in the coming weeks.

    Thorough assessment of both you and your baby including visual oral function assessment for baby, troubleshooting supply and milk transfer as needed, and addressing any discomfort for your body.

    You get a personalized care plan each visit to look back on after we meet.

$325

$150 (In Network - select plans)

(In Network plans may cover most costs; Out-of-Network plans may cover some or most costs; check out the FAQs for more)

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The Virtual Point

Virtual Support

A woman with curly hair holding and smiling at a baby in a cozy living room.

One 45-minute session + 48 hours of messaging for questions.

Best for: Focused troubleshooting of a single hurdle like a latch adjustment, teething questions, weaning support, or simple pump troubleshooting (not a full fit session).

  • 45-Minute Clinical Video Consult: Real-time visual assessment of one feeding or your current pumping setup. Video calls held on my secure, HIPAA-compliant PracticeQ platform.

  • The Clinical Summary: A concise email recap of the specific adjustments made during our call.

  • 48 Hours of Circle Messaging: Direct access via messaging for immediate follow-up questions as you implement the changes.

$150

$50 (In Network - select plans)

(In Network plans may cover most costs; Out-of-Network plans may cover some or most costs; check out the FAQs for more)

Connect & Schedule

Schedule a Discovery Call Today!

Next Steps

Fill out the contact form and let me know which package you think would be right for you

Step 1

I’ll reach out to you ASAP to discuss scheduling and we’ll review your current needs

Step 2

Working with Essential Lactation means your support system is already built—leaving you free to focus entirely on your baby.

Step 3
Let's Get Started
Comprehensive lactation care and infant feeding support in Bellingham, including breastfeeding, chestfeeding, and bottle-feeding guidance.

The Full Circle Experience: Client Feedback

  • "Sara is incredibly kind and knowledgeable. She made me feel comfortable and confident by listening to my challenges and providing valuable advice. I have been able to exclusively breastfeed my 3rd child, and I couldn't have done without Sara. Thank you so much!"

    -Sammy R

  • "Sara was an angel sent to save me! She is incredibly friendly, professional, and knowledgeable. I was at my wits end with breastfeeding. I had extreme difficulty getting my daughter to latch properly so I was in constant pain. I was crying almost every time I fed her and was just about to give up. I scheduled my appointment and Sara showed up and completely changed everything for me. She normalized my struggle, which helped me a lot as I was experiencing postpartum anxiety. She was thorough in her examination, and was hands-on as she coached me through feeding my daughter. She left me with instructions and resources to further assist me, and was available if I had any additional questions or concerns. Thanks to her help, breastfeeding is no longer painful and I enjoy the bonding time with my baby girl. I would recommend her to any new breastfeeding mama!"

    -JV

  • "I cannot recommend Essential Lactation highly enough. As a first time mom, even though my daughter seemed to latch fine, they offered tips, positions, and encouragement that I didn’t even know I needed, but has immensely helped as my daughter has gotten bigger and her needs have changed. Not only do their consultants support in the visit, but I was able to text follow up questions and receive immediate support and help. Being a mom can be so isolating and it felt amazing to have this help. We had a follow up appointment to learn how to safely prepare and give bottles, where both my husband and I learned a lot! Thank you so much!"

    -AC

  • "Sara was so incredibly helpful as my son and I started our breastfeeding journey. She was also so helpful for my husband's bottle feeding techniques. She eased all our concerns and was efficient, professional and personable. The support she provided by phone after our visits was invaluable too."

    -Laura R

  • "Sara is absolutely fantastic!! She is so welcoming and warm, she made it so easy to talk with her. I felt so comfortable being open and sharing my struggles with motherhood, breastfeeding and being a full-time working mom. She had a plethora of helpful information and was more than willing to hear my millions of questions. I highly recommend her!!"

    -BB

  • "Sara's support completely changed my lactation journey! When my daughter was born, I struggled to figure out breastfeeding on my own. My daughter was losing weight faster than I was comfortable with her losing. Sara was able to come out the first week and provide concrete steps that immediately helped us breastfeed. Sara taught me new skills that helped me breastfeed successfully, pump effectively, and figure out a balance between the two. Her compassionate and positive attitude helped me believe in myself. I am still breastfeeding at 9 weeks and am positive I would've given up long ago without Sara's support. Highly recommend!"

    -Chris K

  • "Very compassionate, thorough, kind, gentle - everything you could want in a lactation consultant. She came into my home as a stranger, and left feeling like a close friend. Highly highly highly recommend Sara. Thank you again - you are perfect for your profession!"

    -Stephanie O

  • "Sara was great, she was very informative and professional when assessing my baby and I. She provided me with strategies and plenty of options when it came to feeding my baby. She is also very responsive with her messaging portal."

    -KM

  • "Sara is everything you could want out of a lactation provider. She is professional, prompt, organized, down to earth, and supportive."

    -Leah B

  • "Sara was extremely knowledgeable, efficient, kind, and gentle. She was able to provide the specific care that my son and I needed after his birth. She went out of her way to meet us as soon as possible to relieve my pain at the beginning of our breastfeeding journey. She provided all the tools, advice, and knowledge necessary for us to succeed! I highly recommend Sara to any new family looking for assistance. I don’t know where we would be now without her!"

    -Yasmin W

  • "Sara has been an absolute pleasure to work with. She listens well, and explains in ways that make sense and answer your questions, putting you at ease. She has this ability to give you the confidence you need to conquer your breast feeding and pumping journey, whatever it may look like, while cheering you and your baby on the sidelines and always being available to help out and offer advice. She clearly loves her job and giving women the tools to be successful, and it shows through how knowledgeable she is, and how she comes in and treats you and your baby like you’re the only ones who matter. I would recommend her over and over! She answered so many questions, put me at ease as a first time mom, and created an incredibly helpful care plan for my girl and me. I cannot thank her enough!"

    -Alexa L

  • "Sara was great in helping with latch issues and easily availble for extra support via text. I have other children, so absolutely loved that she came to our home. It was one less place to drive after trying to recover from having a baby."

    -Clare W

  • “ Sara was incredibly helpful and her tips helped us turn a corner in our nursing journey. She is a good listener and effective educator - without overwhelming you with too much information. I wholeheartedly recommend her!”

    -Anonymous

  • “Sara is remarkable! She is incredibly competent, knowledgeable and instilled a lot of confidence. She was a cheerleader and encouraging even when I was anxious and overwhelmed. She went above and beyond to check in regularly and provided tons of support after meeting in person. She is incredibly professional, wrote everything down for us after meeting (which was a gift with post partum exhaustion and brain fog). I went from painful nipples and an underweight baby at week 1, to being in a groove (no nipple pain) with breastfeeding and occasional bottles and more than enough weight gain by week 5! For new moms, I highly recommend meeting with Sara week 1 out of the hospital and planning to meet 1-2 more times to follow up and check in. She fitted me for pump parts that are the right size and helped my husband learn to bottle feed. It was all incredibly helpful for a first time mom! You’ll be in excellent hands with Sara!“

    -Christine T

  • ” Sara was beyond reassuring and knowledgeable. Feeding a baby can be stressful, clunky and have parents in a funk but Sara helps not only with practical plans and solutions but was so validating to the intense experience that can happen for families. Not to mention her services are made accessible by doing home visits. I reached out several times after her visit and she was always so willing to answer questions. She also provided frequent check ins which were appreciated. I highly recommend!!”

    -AH

  • “ I am a first time mom and my partner and I worked with Sara beginning in late pregnancy and until my baby was 2 months old. I wholeheartedly believe that her expertise, attentiveness, and gentle approach made our early postpartum feeding experience significantly smoother than it would have been. We felt cared for and heard because of Sara's attunement, kindness, and knowledge. She offered holistic emotional and physical breastfeeding support, helped both me and baby with mechanics, provided resources, and was incredibly responsive to our questions and concerns. She offered in-home visits as well, which was wonderful in the first week with a brand new baby. Breastfeeding, and feeding your baby in general, is such a tender, brand new experience and I can't recommend Sara enough as a companion on that journey.”

    -Kristen B

  • “ Sara is an incredibly patient, a great listener, highly organized and friendly lactation consultant. I'm impressed by how she kept track of the many questions and concerns that I had, and answered each one effectively. I also really appreciate that she provides home visits. Lastly, when the Lactation Network stopped working with my insurance, she was so understanding as I spent weeks trying to figure out if I could work with her as an out-of-network provider. She regularly checked in with me to see if I needed support and remained an incredible resource even as we were in limbo. I cannot express how caring, wonderful and skilled she is at her work.”

    -JL