New Moms Find Support At Breastfeeding Central
A New App is Changing Lactation Consulting
Better has had great success working with lactation consultants across the country, getting their clients paid back for their claims. A new app, Breastfeeding Central is making it even easier for new moms to get the support they need, and we spoke to the creator, Beverley Rae, about her practice and her reason for creating her app.
Beverley’s Practice
Beverley Rae, MSW, IBCLC, an experienced lactation consultant and former president of the International Lactation Consultant Association has an established practice, Breastfeeding Resources, in Manhasset, NY. Originally trained as a social worker, she came to lactation consulting as a mother who had breastfed her own five children, and noticed there was very little support available for moms.
“When I was nursing, I found that support was really important to me and when the field of lactation consulting opened up I decided that I wanted to help moms professionally so I took the boards and set up my private practice.”
Support is important because research shows that breastfeeding is an important health choice for newborns.
“The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of a baby’s life because of the well-known health benefits for both infants and mothers.” (Kaiser Health News)
Providers like Beverley work to remove any obstacles for moms to successfully breastfeed their babies. She offers a broad range of support that covers the major problems that might arise for a new mom. Usually, she only hears from a new client after the birth.
“Some do contact me before the birth but not many. They are more preoccupied with the pregnancy, focused on getting the baby out and what’s going to happen at the birth. When they’ve got their baby in their arms, it’s often a shock that breastfeeding is not as natural as they thought it would be.”
Beverley tries to see a mom as soon as she is contacted, ideally within 48 hours, because new moms can often lose heart and give up. There are common problems like sore nipples or a baby that has difficulty latching on but often the support that is required is more therapeutic, helping with anxieties arising from inexperience or lack of sleep.
“I’m often visited by mothers who seek reassurance, asking questions like, “Am I doing it right?” That’s one of the greatest worries.”
She has noticed in recent years that many moms search for advice online.
“There is so much information out there that’s inaccurate and makes women very anxious; especially the input from mothers who have had negative experiences.”
In order to offer an alternative to her clients, Beverley came up with a practical and simple solution. She would create and design an app to offer the same support to users as she provides to her clients.
Breastfeeding Central
The app is an extension of her daily work distilled from her experience.
“I’ve seen thousands of mothers over the years and the same questions come up all the time. Am I doing it right? Do I have enough milk? Why does my baby feed so often? When I see the moms they often say, “Can you move in with me?” as if they feel they can’t do it without me. “
Beverley sees her role as empowering moms that they will be able to manage on their own. It takes time and is not instant.
“I realized that some of the things I’m telling the moms should be written down. I looked for an app that moms could use for when I can’t be with them, like in the middle of the night, but I couldn’t find one. That’s when I decided to create Breastfeeding Central. It’s the next best thing to having someone like me move in. It’s a step-by-step breastfeeding companion that is simple.”
The app is arranged to cover any question that might come up, initially categorized under the headings of:
● Preparing for breastfeeding
● Getting started at the hospital
● Early days at home
● Common difficulties
● The first six months
● Returning to work
Then each category is broken down into greater detail. For example, under “Early Days at Home” users can find advice on “How do I know if my baby is getting enough milk.” Or “Partner’s role in successful breastfeeding.” In fact, the app also has great advice for fathers, encouraging them in supporting breastfeeding.
“Often dads will say to me that because the mom is breastfeeding there is nothing they can do to help out. But I explain that there are so many things. They can be the ones to rock and carry the baby after the feed. They can give the baby the bath or settle the baby down to sleep.”
The app is careful not to overwhelm the user with too much information by focusing on the essentials as Beverley does when working with her clients.
“I discovered that moms just love the app. It’s been downloaded in many countries, not just the US.”
As she says, “it’s a really important part of my practice now”, helping build the confidence of her clients and moms across the world.
Paying for a Lactation Consultant
It is not as well-known as it should be that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) mandated that breastfeeding counseling should be covered with no cost sharing, including no copay. This means that mothers with health insurance should be able to visit a lactation consultant and the costs should be covered. Since, according to Beverley, most lactation consultants are out-of-network, this means that mothers who pay out-of-pocket should be able to submit claims and get paid back. However, the insurance companies don’t seem to understand that particular part of the ACA.
“The insurance companies often don’t pay for breastfeeding counseling. They send the claims back, nitpick over small details and put every block they can in the mother’s way. And the mother is tired and overwhelmed and many don’t follow through.”
She has heard all the stories of her clients fighting with health insurance companies for the money they are owed.
“Some very feisty moms will go on for months and get paid back, but most moms just give up.“
As an alternative to needing to be “feisty”, Beverley now recommends Better to her clients.
“I got so excited about Better. I saw Better as someone in the middle who helped clients with the insurance companies and knew what they were doing. That’s why I’ve been such an advocate.”
She sees Better as more than just a way to get her clients reimbursed.
“I hope that Better will actually educate the health insurance companies so that the whole process will be smoother for everybody.”
Thank you Beverley for talking to us about your work as a lactation consultant and creator of Breastfeeding Central. It can be a long process to get paid back for lactation claims, so Better is here to take one more thing off a new mom’s very full plate.
If you are a healthcare provider and you need Better brochures for your practice, request them online or get in touch via providers@getbetter.co
