IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and RLC (Registered Lactation Consultant) are trademarked by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners. Only those who have completed the pre-requisites and have taken and passed the board exam may use these credentials.

An IBCLC is the highest level of lactation professional. We are infant feeding specialists with extensive knowledge in lactation, breastfeeding, formula feeding, reflexes, anatomy, and more! Prerequisites include completing 95 hours of lactation specific education, 14 health and science courses, and clinical hours. The IBCLCs at Hoosier Breast Friend LLC used Pathway 1, which requires 1000 clinical hours.

Learn about the requirements to become an IBCLC by clicking here.

IBCLCs are infant feeding specialists! We have extensive knowledge in lactation and breastfeeding, as well as botte and formula feeding. Just as you’d see a cardiologist for a heart condition, you should see an IBCLC for any lactation or infant feeding condition or concern.

We are here to help you from prenatal to weaning. Some topics we can help with are:

• milk supply concerns such as low milk supply or oversupply, forceful letdown, and high lipase

• conditions of the breast or nipple such as mastitis, yeast, engorgement, clogged ducts, nipple blebs/blisters, edema, damaged nipples, and more

• difficulty or inability to latch, or positioning difficulty

• pain with feeding or pumping

• poor response to the breast pump

• breast or bottle refusal

• colic, gas, and reflux

• suspected tongue, lip, or buccal (cheek) ties

• baby leaks milk from the corners of their mouth

• inducing lactation or relactating

• tandem feeding

• combination feeding and feeding formula

• introducing the bottle

• returning to work while lactating

• weaning from a nipple shield

• weaning from the breast

Before your appointment, you will receive an emailed intake and consent form to complete online. Before your appointment begins, we review your intake form so we have are familiar with your experience before we see you.

Most visits will begin with checking your baby’s weight and reviewing the information you provided on your intake form. If you are latching on the breast or would like to do so, we will teach you techniques for positioning and latching. We may use the scale to do a weighted feeding. While you are feeding your baby, regardless of the method you use, we will assess your baby’s feeding behaviors. A functional oral assessment will also likely be completed during your visit. If you are lactating, we will assess milk supply, breast and nipple conditions, and discuss hormonal and anatomical aspects of lactation. Pump flange size and your pump routine may also be assessed, and we may observe a pump session.

It can be very overwhelming to try to process all of our suggestions and information in one visit, so we may recommend scheduling a follow up appointment to discuss other concerns you have or to assess the success of the care plan we provide to you. Care plans are discussed during the visit but are also sent via email. This plan will include our recommendations for feeding, pumping, supplementing, health recommendations for you and your baby, any oral habilitation exercises, referrals, and any other pertinent information relating to the care of you and your baby. EVERY care plan also now includes a list of resources for postpartum mental health support.

We do accept some insurance. If we are unable to bill your insurance plan, you will be considered “self pay” and will receive a superbill. The superbill should be submitted to your insurance company for reimbursement purposes. We cannot guarantee coverage or reimbursement.

If you need support and do not feel that you can afford it, please contact us. We do offer payment plans, packages, and hardship plans. We are also a part of Be Her Village, a unique registry where parents can register for services and their friends and family can fund things like lactation support or a doula rather than buying items for the family. View our Be Her Village profile HERE. If none of our payment options work for you and we are unable to bill your insurance, please reach out and we will do our best to connect you with other resources.

Yes! We don’t want to waste your time or ours - we want to ensure that you have a positive experience and receive the support you deserve. We often hear from patients that the experience they have with us is different from lactation support they’ve received in the past. Families are often surprised about how much they learn during a consult with us! Whether you are a first time mom or an experienced parent, you most likely have questions that we can answer or concerns that we can support you to address.

We are happy to support families who are bottle feeding, whether they are providing breastmilk, formula, or both. We will help you with feeding concerns whether you latch your baby exclusively on a breast or exclusively on a bottle. You and your baby deserve professional, compassionate support to help you thrive, not just survive.

Yes! Those who wish to become an IBCLC and are seeking mentorship can contact us regarding this matter. At this time, we are unable to accept additional virtual mentees but are open to in person mentees.