Preparing for Your Initial Consultation

Our first session is a deep dive into your family’s unique story. To ensure we make the most of our time together, here is how we will move through our first visit:

1. What to Expect During Our Visit

We will begin by reviewing your health history and the specific challenges or questions currently on your heart. Our clinical assessment includes:

• Functional Assessment: Observing a full feeding session to evaluate latch mechanics and efficient sucking patterns.

• Biometric Data: Utilizing "before and after" weights to precisely measure your baby’s milk intake.

• Clinical Examination: A gentle, thorough infant exam to understand your baby’s unique anatomy and oral function.

• The Essential Roadmap: We will conclude by co-creating a personalized care plan—a sustainable strategy designed specifically for your feeding goals and family rhythm.

2. Setting the Stage for Success

To help me see your baby’s natural feeding patterns in real-time:

• Timing the Feed: If possible, try to time your baby’s rhythm so they are ready for a full feeding shortly after I arrive.

• Your Toolkit: Please have any feeding supplies you are currently using (pumps, pillows, shields, or bottles) nearby so we can troubleshoot your existing setup together. My goal is for your baby to be fully satisfied by the end of our session.

3. The Essential Paperwork

To maximize our clinical time together, please complete all digital intake and consent forms at least 24 hours prior to our visit.

• Check Your Inbox: You should have received a link via email. If you don't see it, please check your Promotions or Spam folders and add info@essentiallactation.com to your safe-sender list.

• A Note on Care: These forms must be signed before I can begin our home visit, as they allow us to jump straight into supporting you and your baby the moment I walk through your door.

Visiting the Office: Bellingham Towers Suite #860

Located inside the Birth Story office.

Finding Your Way

• Address: You’ll find me in the heart of downtown at the Bellingham Towers.‍ ‍

• Parking: * Street Parking: Readily available and free until 11:00 AM.

  • Towers Lot: You are welcome to park in the dedicated Bellingham Towers lot. To avoid ticketing, please follow the payment instructions posted within the lot or use the mobile payment app as directed.

• Transit: We are a brief 2-minute walk from the Champion & Grand bus stop.

• Accessibility: The building is fully equipped with elevators, and our office space has plenty of room for stroller parking.

Arrival & Your Comfort

Once you arrive at Suite #860, please make yourself at home.

• Relax: Grab a seat on the couch and help yourself to a warm tea or a snack from our kitchenette. I will be out to greet you shortly!

• Need Help?: If you have any trouble finding the office, please call me at 360-336-6468.

1. What to Expect: Your Clinical Consultation

Our time together is a deep dive into your feeding journey. Our assessment includes:

• Medical Review: A thorough look at your health history and current concerns.

• Functional Assessment: Evaluating latch mechanics and efficient sucking patterns.

• Intake Measurement: "Before and after" weights to precisely track baby’s milk intake.

• Infant Exam: A gentle, clinical exam of your baby’s oral anatomy.

• The Essential Roadmap: Co-creating a personalized care plan that aligns with your family’s goals.

2. Preparing for the Session

• Timing the Feed: To see your baby’s natural feeding patterns, try to time their rhythm so they are ready for a full feeding during our visit.

• Your Toolkit: Please bring any supplies you are currently using (expressed milk, formula, bottles, or supplementation devices).

• Travel Light: Don't worry about bulky nursing pillows or props—we have everything you need right here in the office.

3. Clinical Paperwork

To maximize our hands-on time together, please ensure all digital intake and consent forms are completed prior to your appointment.

• Check Your Email: If you don’t see the link, please check your Promotions or Spam folders.

• Confirmation: Adding my email to your "Safe Senders" list ensures you never miss a roadmap update. All forms must be signed before we begin our session

Preparing for Your Virtual Consultation

Our virtual sessions are designed to bring clinical expertise directly into the comfort of your home. To ensure a seamless experience, please review the following steps:

1. The Virtual Assessment: What to Expect

A virtual visit is a comprehensive clinical session. Together, we will:

• Medical Review: Discuss your health history and the specific feeding challenges on your heart.

• Functional Observation: I will observe a full feeding session to evaluate latch mechanics and sucking patterns.

• Expert Guidance: I will guide you through positioning and techniques in real-time.

• The Essential Roadmap: We will co-create a personalized care plan tailored to your family’s unique rhythm.

2. Our Secure Connection

I utilize PracticeQ, a fully HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform, to ensure your privacy and security.

• Accessing the Room: Simply click the link in your appointment confirmation email at the time of our visit. No complex software downloads are required.

• Optimization: For the best experience, please ensure you are in a well-lit area. It is incredibly helpful to have a partner or support person available to help position your camera so I can see baby’s latch from various angles.

3. Setting the Stage

• Timing the Feed: To make the most of our time, try to time baby’s rhythm so they are ready for a full feeding shortly after we begin our call.

• Your Toolkit: Gather all the supplies you currently use or have questions about—including pillows, nipple shields, syringes, bottles, and your breast pump.

4. Clinical Photos & Videos

To give me the clearest "clinical view" before we even meet, please send photos or videos to your folder on my secure Google Drive (you’ll receive an email with your personal folder link from me-let me know if you don’t receive it by emailing ASAP).

Your Guide to Capturing the Circle: Filming the Feed

• The Light: Face a window. Shadows hide the latch challenges or "tugging" you might be feeling.

• The Angle: I need the "Profile View." The camera should be level with the baby's mouth, showing where the nose and chin meet your breast.

• The Sound: Turn off the white noise or TV. I need to hear the "click" or the deep "swallow-breath" rhythm.

• The Length: 30–60 seconds of active sucking is all I need.

To ensure I can see your baby’s latch with clinical clarity, please upload your video directly to this secure link. Using the 'Plus (+)' icon in the Google Drive app and selecting 'Upload' ensures the video is not compressed or blurred. 

Please ensure all videos are uploaded to your secure folder at least 3 hours before our scheduled virtual session. This allows me to review the clinical footage so we can dive straight into solutions during our call.

The "Secure Upload" Privacy Note

Your Clinical Privacy is My Priority "As an RN and IBCLC, I handle your feeding videos with the same strict confidentiality as a hospital medical record.

• HIPAA-Compliant Storage: I utilize a secure, encrypted Google Workspace environment specifically configured for healthcare providers.

• Professional Access Only: Your videos are viewed only by me for clinical assessment and are never shared, downloaded to personal devices, or used for any purpose other than your direct care.

• The Full Circle Guarantee: Your media is deleted according to medical record-keeping standards to ensure your family’s privacy remains a closed circle.

• Pro-Tip: Short videos of the inside of baby’s mouth or a close-up of a nursing session are invaluable. [Click here for my more detailed Guide on capturing the best clinical angles.]

5. Essential Paperwork

To maximize our face-to-face time, please complete your digital intake and consent forms at least 24 hours prior to our session. These must be signed before we can begin our clinical consultation.

How do you protect my family's private information?

I utilize a "Privacy-First" technology stack. Every tool I use—from our communication portal to my clinical note-taking software—is fully HIPAA-compliant. This means your Protected Health Information (PHI) is encrypted to federal medical standards, ensuring it is only accessible by me for the purpose of your care.

What is Scope Health AI, and why do you use it?

Scope Health AI is my "digital clinical scribe." During our sessions, it transcribes our conversation so I can focus 100% on you and your baby rather than a computer screen.

• Is it eavesdropping? No. It only records when I explicitly turn it on at the start of our session.

• Where does the audio go? The audio is encrypted, processed into a clinical note, and then the recording is permanently deleted. It is never stored or sold.

• Does it "learn" from my baby? No. Your data is never used to train global AI models. It is strictly a one-to-one tool for your specific medical file.

What is the Secure Messaging Portal?

This is your secure Home Base. Instead of sending sensitive information over unencrypted email or text, we use this portal for:

• Accessing your personalized sleep and feeding guides.

• Secure messaging for real-time support.

How do I share videos and large files with you?

For large uploads—such as video clips of your baby's sleep environment or long-form feeding logs—I use a dedicated Private Google Drive Folder created specifically for your family.

• Secure Access: You will receive an invitation to this folder via your primary email. Access is restricted to you and Essential Lactation only.

• What to Upload: This is the best place for video footage (great for troubleshooting big transitions) and photos.

• Organization: Please title your uploads with the date (e.g., 2026-03-15_BedtimeVideo) so I can review them accurately within your clinical timeline.

Can I opt-out of using these tools?

Absolutely. Your comfort is my priority. If you prefer that I take manual notes or avoid using the digital portal, simply let me know. We can adjust our Full Circle workflow to whatever feels most secure for your family.

Navigating Your Digital Experience

To provide you with the most comprehensive support, my practice utilizes three distinct digital rooms. Here is how to use each one:

1. The Full Circle Family Portal

This is your Education & Community Hub. It is designed for learning and connection.

• The Essential Archives: Your library of resources. This is where you will find my clinical guides on feeding, sleep transitions, and family wellness (including everything from The Great Unswaddle to Toddler Weaning Scripts).

• The Full Circle Common Room: Our monthly virtual village. This is a recurring live support group where you can connect with other families, share wins, and ask general questions in a moderated, supportive environment.

• If you have purchased a package that includes access to the portal, you will receive an email invitation with instructions for entry and there is always a login link at the footer of this website! Families with single visits can also choose to purchase access to the portal separately.

2. The Secure Messaging Portal

This is our Direct Clinical Line.

• How it’s different: Unlike the Archives or the Common Room, this portal is HIPAA-secure and intended for 1:1 private communication.

• Use this for: Quick questions about your specific plan, clinical updates, or anything sensitive that you wouldn't share in a group setting.

3. The Private Google Drive Folder

This is your Document Vault.

• How it’s different: This is purely for heavy lifting data.

• Use this for: Uploading long-form video clips of sleep, large photo files, or other media that is too large to upload into the Secure Messaging Portal. While the message portal is for talking, the Drive is for viewing the evidence of your baby's rhythm.

• Self-pay clients: Essential Lactation will provide you with a superbill suitable for you to submit to your insurance. The superbill (which will also serve as a payment receipt) will be coded appropriately to the level of service provided during the visit. You agree to pay Essential Lactation at the time of the visit (cash, check, credit card, or FSA).

  • Additional fee for multiples: $75 per additional infant. This is due to the extra time involved coordinating care of multiples.

  • I have created THIS handout to walk you through requesting reimbursement from your insurance company so please take a look because you most likely pay for lactation benefit already.

• Insurance for Aetna/United clients: Essential Lactation is in-network with Aetna/United which means Essential Lactation will submit your fees for their consideration. Aetna/United(‘s) usual and customary allotment for each procedure will satisfy your account; ultimately, each client remains responsible for full payment for services. You are responsible for providing Essential Lactation with accurate insurance information and informing Essential Lactation of any changes in your insurance status; if you do not have coverage at the time of service, you will be responsible to pay Essential Lactation at the self pay rate. Please note that each visit is billed both to you and your baby individually so you will see this reflected on your EOBs. Aetna/United must be your primary insurance in order for billing to be done correctly, if it is secondary insurance please reach out directly to info@essentiallactation.com.

  • Meritain, Moda, and other subsidiaries: Essential Lactation is able to submit fees for these plans as well. See above for more detail.

  • Billing is submitted for both the lactating parent and infant as both are clients of Essential Lactation. If your baby will be covered under another insurance plan, there is a $75 charge per infant and Essential Lactation will provide you with a superbill suitable for you to submit to your insurance. The superbill (which will also serve as a payment receipt) will be coded appropriately to the level of service provided during the visit. You agree to pay Essential Lactation at the time of the visit (cash, check, credit card, or FSA). If the visit is a pumping visit only and/or the lactating parent is the only client assessed during the visit, there is no additional charge.

• Insurance for Tricare clients: Essential Lactation is in-network with Tricare. I am able to submit your fees for Tricare’s consideration. Tricare currently allows 1 hour per lactation visit with a total of 6 visits allowed per birth or adoption. Prenatal visits can occur after 27 weeks gestation. You don’t need a referral for lactation care whether you have Prime or Select. If Tricare is your secondary insurance, you will need to request a letter from your primary insurance stating they don’t cover lactation visits. You are responsible for providing me with accurate insurance information and informing me of any changes in your insurance status; if you do not have coverage at the time of service, you will be responsible to pay me at my self-pay rate. Tricare must be your primary insurance in order for billing to be done correctly, if it is secondary insurance please reach out directly to info@essentiallactation.com.

I prioritize both your convenience and your privacy. Electronic payments are processed through Square, a secure platform meeting all HIPAA and financial industry safety standards. However, because automated digital receipts may list the 'Type of Visit,' please let me know if you would prefer to pay via cash or check for added privacy. Financial flexibility is important to me; if you are interested in a custom payment plan, please reach out so we can discuss a path that works for your family.

I’m just a message away. Feel free to email or text me with any questions as you prepare for our visit.