Milkworks

Babies were born to be breastfed, however, we know that breastfeeding can be challenging for some mothers and babies!

In our experience, most mothers are able to breastfeed their babies.  However, some must work at it much harder than others.  Breastfeeding may never be perfect for you.  It may actually look quite different from what you thought it would.  But with assistance, support and patience, we are convinced you can make it work for you and your baby.

Research has shown that mothers who receive help in the early days tend to have an easier time breastfeeding and tend to breastfeed longer.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all babies have a feeding assessment between day 3 and day 5 to assess latch and weight gain.  Please call 423-6402 and schedule an appointment at MilkWorks if you want to make sure everything is going well, or if you are having any concerns.

When you call MilkWorks for an appointment, we will help you decide whether you should schedule an appointment with one of our Board Certified Lactation Consultants (LCs) or with Dr. Kathy Leeper, our Breastfeeding Medicine Specialist.

Lactation Care Package

Our LC Package consists of comprehensive, one-to-one care from one of our LCs.  It is designed for mothers of newborns (usually less than two weeks old) who want to make sure their baby is latching well and gaining nicely, or for mothers who are experiencing feeding difficulties with latch, weight gain or supply.

What happens during a consult? Our Lactation Consultant will review your baby’s feeding history, assess your baby’s suck, review your medical history and past breastfeeding experiences, weigh baby and assist with a feeding.  You and the LC will develop a care plan and a follow up plan, and you will have plenty of time to ask questions related to your concerns and your baby.  Follow up may consist of more appointments, drop in weight checks and phone calls.  We provide care until your baby is feeding well.  The Initial appointment is usually 60-90 minutes long and follow ups are usually 30-60 minutes long.

What is the fee for Lactation Care? The Affordable Care Act requires insurers to start phasing in coverage for lactation care as of August 1, 2012. We are currently in a transition period as this is new territory for most insurers to provide lactation care coverage, and new for our consultants to work with insurers through the credentialing process necessary for becoming network providers. Some insurers are not offering any coverage yet, and some will cover both in and out of network providers.

We strongly encourage all moms to check on the coverage provided under their individual policy "for breastfeeding services covered under the women's preventive services in the Affordable Care Act."

MilkWorks' clients have the option of having their consult fees filed with insurance or paying for a "lactation package" out of pocket. If filed with insurance, clients are then responsible for fees not covered under their plan. If moms are paying for the package out of pocket, their expense for consultation fees is capped at $250, with additional appointment fees being paid out of our fundraising activities.

We do not want the cost of care to be a deciding factor on whether moms will seek help for breastfeeding problems. We are happy to work with moms on payment arrangements when needed. We have some local grants for assisting moms on Medicaid or WIC programs who may be able to obtain assistance free of cost.

It is confusing for everyone right now with the rapidly occurring changes. We invite you to call if you have questions about your situation.

Breastfeeding Medicine Specialist

Dr. Kathy Leeper is a pediatrician who specializes in Breastfeeding Medicine. Her sole practice is providing breastfeeding assistance to mothers and babies with special needs, including prematurity, birth anomalies, induced lactation for adoption, tongue ties, food sensitivities, nipple and breast pain, and low milk supply. The fee for initial appointments range from $150-$290, and for follow-up appointments $105-205. We are able to file directly with insurance for appointments with Dr. Leeper. Please bring your insurance information with you.  We will ask for your co-pay on the day of your visit.  You will receive a statement for any balance that insurance does not cover.

Please note that we do not deny services based upon ability to pay.  If your fees create a hardship for you, please let us know.

Outreach Clinics

MilkWorks has two outreach programs designed to make it easier for mothers to access our services. A grant from the Community Health Endowment allows us to provides consultations to mothers and babies who are referred by the People's Health Center and Lincoln Medicine Center.