Berkeley Parents Network: Lactation Consultants at Kaiser

Berkeley Parents Network

Lactation Consultants at Kaiser

The Parents Network > Reviews > Health & Medical > Kaiser Doctors > Lactation Consultants at Kaiser

October 2002

Can anyone tell me if Kaiser covers in-home lactation consultant visits, and if so can you also recommend one or two? Leslie

I had horrible problems Breastfeeding my now 6 month old son and found the LCs at Kaiser to be really first class. As far as I know Kaiser pays for a home health care nurse after you are discharged from the hospital for free if it is your first. After that you need to go to Kaiser for the appointments (I went to Oakland.) Joanne Jasson (sp?) and Suzy (Can't remember the last name) but there is a Sue too who is different, were the ones that helped me the most. When my son didn't gain weight well, they saw me for 3x/week for about a month until he was gaining weight and all our issues were gone. They were so helpful and amazing and I never had to use formula (although they are open to it and non-judgemental) and I am still happily breastfeeding more than 6 months later problem-free. They also answer some questions via phone. They are understanding of the fact it is hard for new moms to come in and spend lots of time with you, however they are often running late so be prepared for that.

It is an amazing resource and you don't pay for visits. I gained huge amounts of respect for Kaiser for providing this free service while my friends with other insurance plans had to pay $80 or more /visit with their LC.

If you want someone at home not at Kaiser I know Janaki Costello (525-1155) makes house calls and is excellent. Hope this helps. ilfeld

I would call Kaiser Oakland and ask if Joanne Jasson can do a home visit. If she can't - pay her a visit at Kaiser. She has a magic nursing chair and a magical presence that helped me get my 3.5 month old latched on after three visits. This was after 3 months of working at it with other lactation specialists, all in my home. Debbie

I had great success with Evelyn, a lactation consultant at Kaiser in San Francisco. It took several visits to her office before my multiple problems were solved, but it was worth it. She was incredibly supportive and without her help I know I would have given up on breastfeeding. They do not do home visits at Kaiser, but they will spend lengthy amounts of time on the phone. Depending on your problem, this might help, but most likely they will want to see you nursing your baby. Best of luck! anonymous

The lactation consultant at Kaiser Walnut Creek is great - her name is Pat Ross. She doesn't (Kaiser doesn't) make home visits that I know of. Sharon

To my knowledge the lactation consultants do not visit at home (there's just the first home visit w/ in a few days of birth by an np or lpn; she did check on the nursing, btw). That said I really was helped by several lengthy phone conversations w/ lactation consultants at kaiser. Joanne in particular but Sue and others whose names I don't recall. They will also see you at their office. As many of my friends and I observed, the problem with going there is that they focus on achieving the best possible nursing right there at that time in their chair w/ their brest friend (the single most important nursing related purchase I made after soothies (which I learned of from this community)). So you can go home and feel completely incompetent at home all over again. I'd bring a partner or friend to take notes or even take a digital photo graph if it gets going well while you are there. And they will spend a lot of time with you at your appointment. I'd also go to the mommy group kaiser sponsers. The women I met there started meeting separately and we were passing nursing tips and nursing when we met and did some self help. JW

When I was having nursing problems (with the *second* kid, what a surprise), I found the lactation consultants at Kaiser very helpful indeed. But I had to go to the Medical Center, they didn't offer to come to me. This was in summer 2000. Avi

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