Berkeley Parents Network: Lactation Consultants

Berkeley Parents Network

Lactation Consultants

Berkeley Parents Network > Reviews > Health & Medical > Lactation Consultants

Bay Area Lactation Center

May 2004

Hello to all and especially to those with whom I had the privilege to assit with breastfeeding challenges over the past 20 years. I thank you for the positive feedback. Yes, the BayArea Lactation Center had to close due to financial and personal reasons. I moved out of the area to Mendocino Cty, but still return once or twice a month to see clients in the Bay Area. Also, I still work at Alta Bates when I come down.

I give free phone (510-541-4000) and internet advice. Please feel free to contact me. If you need immediate home visit assistance, I will refer you to those that I trust and value their expertise.

Take good care,
Bonnie L. Bruce RN, IBCLC
bbruce AT pacific.net

2001

Does anybody where the Bay Area Lactation Center has gone? I noticed that the office across from Alta Bates is vacant, and when I called the phone number got no answer. They were so great when I had problems with baby #1, and even though I'm hoping I don't have problems with baby #2, would like to be able to contact them if needed, if they're still in business. Thanks, Jody

I hadn't noticed that they had moved/closed but you might want to try calling Alta Bates' maternity ward's nurses desk. Bonnie Bruce has been a lactation consultant and nurse at AB for years. They should know how to find her. Please post the new location if you find it. I was really grateful for their excellent help in navigating nursing after breast reduction and was hoping for their support w/ baby # 2 due in Sept. should we need! Colleen

Unfortunately, the Bay Area Lactation Center has closed. We just had a private breastfeeding class from Bonnie Bruce, and she told us that she is returning to private practice, so you would need to contact her on an an individual consultation basis. Karen

Bonnie Bruce's number is still 510-428-0791. She is still available for consults even though the center is closed. Sherry

Sorry, I do not know about the Bay Area Lactation Center, but there are a few resources still available to nursing mothers. La Leche League has groups in Oabland, Berekeley, Alameda, Walnut Creek and others. Call the referal line for location and phone nos of leaders closest to you. Women's Health Center in Walnut Creek has a big staff of fabulous lactation consultants, classes, and support groups. The new Nurture Center in Lafayette has pump rentals, support groups and friendly people. Hope you won't need help with baby #2, you are an old nursing pro by now, but as each baby is different, different issues might come up. Going to LLL meetings or other support groups could be of great help to review and connect with people and resources. Good luck. Ksenija

my understanding is that the bay area lactation center is closed permanently. if you would like a referral to a private practice lactation consultant, who will come to your home and work with you for a couple horus , and do follow-up, etc., i would be happy to give you some numbers! Lyla

About 1-2 months ago I went over there to look at some furniture they were selling. Surpisingly, they are not relocating. One of the two owners/operators was leaving the country (if my memory serves me correctly) and the 2nd one decided to move to a different type of work. Krystyna

The Bay Area Lactation Center has closed down. The Lactation Consultant who did private consultations there is Bonnie Bruce, IBCLC, and she still does consultations at her home in Oakland (510-428-0791). Prior to closing, Yvette Webster (who ran the Center) was referring customers to The Nurture Center in Lafayette. We provide referrals to lactation consultants and do breast pump sales and rentals, carry replacement parts and nursing bras and other gear. We can be reached at 925-283-1346 or info at nurturecenter.com

Oct 1999

I highly recommend Bonnie Bruce from the Bay Area Lactation Center--if it weren't for her, I would have given up! Bonnie was extremely professional, reassuring, supportive, and most of all practical. She phoned me every day after our meeting to see how I was doing and I still call her with questions (my daughter is now 3 and a half months old). I called a few other lactation consultants before I (thankfully) found Bonnie and the few I spoke with were a little woo-woo, and frankly made me feel worse than I already felt at the time. All is can tell you is that Bonnie is the best in my book--and I've since spoken to many other women who went to see her and got lots of sound advice for everything from problems with latching to going back to work. Hope this helps.

I just wanted to add my very positive experience of Bonnie Bruce to the recommendations already given. I had a very difficult post-partum experience 3 and a half years ago -- breastfeeding was difficult and on top of that I had serious medical complications. She was great in all the ways mentioned by others. In addition, I was very appreciative of her non-judgmental attitude about breastfeeding. Even though in the event I was able to continue breastfeeding despite the difficulties, I felt that she would have been fully supportive if I had decided to switch to bottle-feeding instead. That seems to me to be very important in a lactation consultant -- you don't want someone who is going to make you feel bad if you're not able to carry through with it. Hannah

I would like to put in a plug for the new Bay Area Lactation Center behind Alta Bates Hospital. While I have never done a full consultation with them, both Bonnie and Yvette have been extremely helpful during casual conversations while I was there to purchase Bravado nursing bras, Avent supplies and Pump-in-Style replacement parts. They do offer complete consultation services. It is a wonderful little store and resource for the community. Please help support them. It would be wonderful to see them thrive. Lisa

I highly recommend Bonnie Bruce, the co-owner of Bay Area Lactation Center located behind Alta Bates Hospital on Regent. The number is 209-9703 and the web site is www.bayarealactation.com . Bonnie is absolutely great! When I had problems she saw me on an emergency basis. She then made several follow-up calls to check up on me and baby. Bonnie has some 20 years as a L&D nurse about 17 years as a registered lactation specialist. She carries a wide variety of pumps and nursing equipment (such as pillows, tubing, supplemental feeders, tea, etc.). She also stocks nursing bras and premie clothes. Bonnie is great! I highly recommend her. I still drop by from time to time just to say hello! Jeanette

In response to the person looking for a lactation consultant to make house calls, I highly recommend both Bonnie Bruce and Janaki Costello as I have used the professional services of both. Bonnie Bruce operates Bay Area Lactation Center and is an R.N. at nearby Alta Bates Medical Center in Berkeley. I met Bonnie when my son was 2 weeks old because he was slow in regaining his birth weight. His (former) pediatrician was pushing me to supplement with formula, an action I wanted to avoid because I was concerned about nipple confusion, and the effect of supplementing on my milk supply. At my request the pediatrician gave me a referral to Bonnie, whose home visit was covered by our HMO (Healthnet) after much haggling with Alta Bates Medical Group. Bonnie was extremely thorough, professional and reassuring and her advice was very effective. Our son made tremendous gains in weight only 3-4 days after our initial appointment. Bonnie was always generous with free advice and support when I was in the neighborhood and stopped by to say hello (our son's pediatrician is nearby). I can't say enough good things about either of these caring, professional women. Paula

I can highly recommend Bonnie Bruce/Care After Birth: (510) 428-0791. Bonnie is an RN at Alta Bates as well as a lactation consultant who does home visits. She is knowledgeable, warm and reassuring, rents breast pumps (and sells used pumps too). She was also savvy enough to tell me to ask my OB or pediatrician to write a prescription for her services so that I could get reimbursed by insurance for her visits. jen (6/99)

Joanne Bergeson

From: Dylyn (6/99)

I used Joanne Bergeson (not sure if that's the right spelling) and highly recommend her. She came recommended by our pediatrician who coordinated everything from getting in touch with her to getting her set up with Health Net so that the visit would be covered under our insurance. Joanne is warm, friendly and is also a labor and delivery nurse at Summit Hospital. She came to my home the day after we got home from the hospital and was also very helpful over the phone.

Janaki Costello

Caroline 10/99
I highly recommend Janaki Costello who is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant who is just passionate about her work. She has been helping nursing moms in the East Bay for years and is caring and very experienced. Janaki can be reached at 510-525-1155.

From: Paula (6/99)

In response to the person looking for a lactation consultant to make house calls, I highly recommend both Bonnie Bruce and Janaki Costello as I have used the professional services of both. Janaki Costello is also a certified Doula and a certified Childbirth Educator who lives in El Cerrito. Janaki was our "back-up" Doula whom we met one time before our baby was born. My husband and I had liked her immediately! When our son's weight began dropping at 6 weeks of age, her proximity to our home made her a natural choice. Following her initial lengthy visit, Janaki spent extensive amounts of time in person and on the telephone providing free instruction, encouragement and emotional support that helped us successfully weather a very challenging period. Our son is now 9-1/2 months old and still nursing and growing well. I can't say enough good things about either of these caring, professional women.

Janaki Costello is a wonderful lactation consultant. She can be reached at 525-1155. You can read recommendations about her doula work at the parents website (you'll be able to get a sense of how great she is to work with).
Laurie (6/99)

Janaki Costello is the best there is. She can be reached at (510) 525-1155.
MH (6/99)

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Re: Lactation Consultants at Kaiser (Oct 2002)

I don't know about Kaiser but I've recently had two lactation consultants do home visits and both were good. Tina Benitez phone number is 639-4845. She is sick right now so I also had Fritzi Drosten 652-1173. It is expensive but they were both quite available for follow-up by phone and spent a lot of time. Leah

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