Breastfeeding During the Covid-19 Pandemic

Covid-19 has caused an unprecedented change in how we as lactation consultants are able to support breastfeeding families.  It seems like every day there is new information and new recommendations for breastfeeding parents on what is considered safe when breastfeeding during this pandemic.  We just don’t have enough information about this novel coronavirus. Research is being conducted everyday to help guide these new protocols for breastfeeding families.  The constant change in recommendations is based on whatever new information doctors and specialists feel creates the safest environment for families, but feels confusing both to us as lactation consultants and as parents.  

So, here is what we at SDBFC can do for you. 

We can direct you to the most current information and recommendations for breastfeeding during Covid-19 on our new webpage.  We can sift through the complicated language and summarize how this impacts you as a breastfeeding family. My plan is to update our website whenever there is a change in recommendations for breastfeeding families, so that you don’t have to hunt down this information yourself. 

You have enough to do. Let us help lighten the load.

Please, keep in mind….I am not an epidemiologist or physician.  I am definitely not an expert on Covid-19. I am an IBCLC who has been collecting information through webinars and websites, like the CDC, WHO, Mother to Baby, ABM, AAP, USBC, and CBC to share the best resources for you and your family when making a decision about breastfeeding during Covid-19.

With limited in-person monitoring of infants by healthcare providers, breastfeeding support from an IBCLC is critical to make sure that a parent’s milk supply is meeting baby’s needs and that baby is feeding well to promote optimal growth and development.  Virtual consultations with an IBCLC will provide breastfeeding parents with the information and guidance they need to provide breastmilk to their children.  

If you or someone you know is pregnant, let them know about our virtual Preparing to Breastfeed class.  We are offering if every 2 weeks, since all in-person breastfeeding classes has been cancelled.  And it is LIVE and super interactive! You don’t even have to live in San Diego to participate!

If you or someone you know is struggling with breastfeeding, sign up for one of our virtual breastfeeding consultations.  You would be shocked at all we can accomplish through videoconferencing and we will make sure that you have someone to rely on for infant feeding support until you can meet with your pediatrician or an IBCLC in person.

Wishing you and your family good health and safety! Please know we are here to support you in any way that we can!

Warmly,

Robin Kaplan, Owner of the San Diego Breastfeeding Center

Lactation Support during COVID 19 - Let's Get Virtual!

With new Shelter in Place restrictions, the San Diego Breastfeeding Center has decided that it will be safer for our staff and our clients if we all stay at home.

So, starting today, our physical space is temporarily closed, but our virtual space is WIDE OPEN! We are doing everything we can to provide the same high-quality, judgment-free breastfeeding support that we have offered in person for the past 10 years… just DIGITALLY.

---

Virtual Breastfeeding Consultations

For those of you looking for an individual breastfeeding consultation from an expert IBCLC, book one of our VIRTUAL BREASTFEEDING CONSULTATIONS. You’d be shocked on all we can accomplish without being in the same room!

Each virtual breastfeeding consultation includes an oral assessment on your baby (Yep! We can do those virtually!), positioning and latch assessment/recommendations, milk supply/sore nipple remedies, and a personalized plan of care. We can also do prenatal consultations and pump flange fittings, as we do these virtually all of the time!

As always, all appointments come with 2 weeks of free email support. And, we can still bill your insurance (Tricare and Aetna PPO) and have our sliding scale for those families with financial needs. If our appointments do not fit within your budget due to financial constraints, PLEASE call our office to find out the rate on our sliding scale!

---

Virtual Breastfeeding Support Groups

For those of you who love support groups and are looking to stay connected with other breastfeeding parents while getting some breastfeeding help along the way, pop into one of our VIRTUAL BREASTFEEDING SUPPORT GROUPS! Our community of local IBCLCs are hosting a free meeting, Monday-Friday, from noon-1pm. Click on this calendar link, choose the day, and then ask to Join Hangouts Meet.

---

Virtual Prenatal Breastfeeding Classes

For those expectant parents wanting to prepare for breastfeeding without an in-person class to go to, check out our VIRTUAL PREPARING TO BREASTFEED CLASS. Taught LIVE by Robin Kaplan, owner of the San Diego Breastfeeding Center (and author of LATCH), this class will get you excited about breastfeeding! From latch and positioning to preventing common breastfeeding concerns, Robin helps you and your partner prepare a breastfeeding plan that works best for your family. Facts and myths will be addressed as you get the tools and resources you need to confidently start your breastfeeding journey.

---

Don’t let breastfeeding challenges exacerbate during COVID19. Please reach out for help! We are here to support you along your breastfeeding journey and want to do everything we can to help make this part of your life a little bit easier!

What SDBFC is doing to protect you and your family during COVID-19

As social distancing and worldwide quarantines are affecting us all during the coronavirus crisis, the staff at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center is doing everything we can to continue to provide support for breastfeeding families.  Your family’s health and well-being (as well as our’s) is our top priority. Here is what you can expect for the next few weeks.

Classes and Support Groups

1. Group classes are either cancelled or will be offered virtually.  Please visit our website for an updated calendar.

2. We are partnering with several local lactation consultants to offer virtual breastfeeding support groups through Google Hangouts Meet.  Here is the schedule (starting on Wed March 18):

   1. Monday: 12p-1p (hosted by Rachelle Markham)

   2. Tuesday: 12p-1p (hosted by Dawn Dickerson)

   3. Wednesday: 12p-1p (hosted by Robin Kaplan)

   4. Thursday: 12p-1p (hosted by Rachael Oeffner)

   5. Friday: 12p-1p (hosted by Ashley Tehrani)

To attend one of our virtual breastfeeding support groups, please go to our calendar for details and a link to each daily virtual support group. We will also make an announcement with all of the details on our Facebook and Instagram, as well.

In-person Lactation Consultations

Prior to the visit

1. We screen all of our patients a day before the visit via text. In case of a confirmation of possible symptoms of a respiratory infection, a virtual visit will be offered instead via a HIPAA-compliant telemedicine platform.

2. We thoroughly clean and disinfect all our supplies using CDC-approved disinfectants before every visit. We also disinfect our phones/computers before and after each visit using alcohol wipes.

3. We take our temperature every morning to make sure that we do not have a fever.  If we or someone in our household is sick, we will reschedule your appointment.

During the in-person visit

1. Upon arrival, you will be asked screening questions before we can begin the consultation.

2. We alway clean our hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  

3. Throughout the visit, we will use gloves every time we touch you and your baby. 

4. When weighing your baby, we will use a disposable chux pad to place on the disinfected scale. You can use your own receiving blanket, if preferred.

5. We ask that you bring your own breastfeeding pillows, if you are using one.  We will not have pillows to use in our clinic.

6. We are staggering our office appointments so that no one will sit in the waiting room.

7. We will minimize our physical contact with you and your baby throughout the consult, unless we are doing a physical/oral assessment

8. For in-office consultations, we ask that you leave siblings at home, if at all possible.

9. If we are seeing you in your own home, we ask that only household members are in the home during the consultation.

Virtual consultation options

1. For anyone who would prefer a virtual consultation, you can book one of these through our website.  While these are slightly less-comprehensive, as we are not able to assess milk transfer, they are a wonderful option during this social distancing time.  Through virtual consultations,  we can provide guidance on how to maintain your milk supply and baby weight gain, optimize position and latch, and co-create a temporary plan of care until we can see you in person.  

2. It can be very helpful to have a second adult around during the virtual consult, as you will be walked through how to do an oral assessment with your child.

Meet SDBFC's Newest Lactation Consultant - Vicky Gellis!

We are so thrilled to introduce you to our newest lactation consultant at SDBFC! Vicky Gellis joined our team in November 2019, as our Administrative Assistant and will now begin to see SDBFC families as an IBCLC. Prior to November, Vicky spent hours in our office as an IBCLC intern as she was finishing her UCSD IBCLC coursework. After over a year of clinical hours and course work, Vicky is now ready to see her own patients at SDBFC and we couldn’t be more excited! We can't wait for you all to meet her!

Vicky, tell us about yourself!

I grew up in Westchester NY and met my husband at the neighborhood bus stop in kindergarten. Our families are very close and I am the eldest of 12 cousins. I loved caring for my family and have always enjoyed working with children. At NYU, I studied child and adolescent mental health and researched child motor development. After living in NYC for 8 years, my husband and I decided to move across the country so we could experience West Coast living! We can confidently say that we love it! 

We love to travel, hike, bike, scuba dive, climb, camp, and take advantage of the year round beautiful weather here in San Diego! 

What inspired you to become a lactation consultant?

My sister-in-law is a doula and encouraged me to pursue doula work because she knows I love working with babies. Through my doula work, I discovered my passion for working with birthing families. Although births are incredibly beautiful experiences, my clients were just beginning their journey as new parents and they needed additional help! I wanted to be able to support them through not just their birth but their breastfeeding journey as well. I also really wanted to be a resource for my family and friends as they started to have babies. 

What are you most excited about working with SDBFC?

I am thrilled to be part of such a dedicated group of consultants. I am eager to continue to learn from them so I can better serve the families of San Diego.  I believe it’s a gift to be able to give back to the clients I work with and to help them through breastfeeding and new parenthood challenges. 

What are you top 3 tips for a brand new breastfeeding family?

1. You are not alone. Having a baby can be very overwhelming and sometimes isolating so I want to encourage families to seek out help from a community of friends and professionals that support them. Find other new parents who can resonate with all of the emotions and feelings you’re going experiencing. Look for professionals who align with your values.

2. Trust your instincts. There is so much information out there about breastfeeding and everyone will gladly share their opinion with you, even if you don’t quite ask. There is no universal breastfeeding plan that works for everyone. Trust your gut and remember that the most important thing is to find tools and plans that work best for you and your family. 

3. There are no silly questions. Breastfeeding is a brand new skill and just like anything new, there is a learning curve. Parents typically have many questions about breastfeeding expectations, milk supply, positions, latching, breastfeeding accessories, and more! All of your questions are valid and important. Seek out the help of friends, classes, support groups, and lactation consultants because we are eager to share our knowledge and experience! 

Welcome to the SDBFC team, Vicky!

Countdown to Baby Event: a resource luncheon for expectant and new parents

Pregnant?  Adopting? Navigating the 4th trimester?

Looking for some professionals and friends to round out your circle of support during the expectant and postpartum periods?

At SDBFC, our mission is to provide compassionate care and help families find their circle of support.  We want all families to feel like we are a safe place to turn to in times of need (and joy!) and a resource of professionals to lean on as they navigate the prenatal and postpartum period.

We also have the honor of working with passionate, local professionals who round out this circle of support, by providing education and medical/emotional/physical support during the prenatal/postpartum period.

Please join us for a FREE event that will encompass many of the different local professional resources you need to best prepare for your new little one and navigate the 4th trimester.  We know that new parenthood can feel incredibly isolating, so we want to share our collective knowledge and professional expertise so that your new family feels supported and surrounded by your community.

Our vendors will include midwives, doulas, prenatal/postpartum classes, prenatal/postpartum yoga, pelvic floor therapist, baby photographers, babywearing experts and more! Meet them, ask them questions, and get their contact information! 

This is also a great time to meet your new group of friends who are going through familiar experiences! 

We will have giveaways and free tacos! (Did you say tacos??? What could be better?) This is definitely worth dropping by on a Sunday morning!

We hope to see you there! 

The Scoop

Who: Pregnant parents, adopting parents, parents of babies being born by surrogate, parents navigating the 4th trimester

What: Vendors and speakers who specialize in services and products preparing for your baby and during 4th trimester

When: Sunday, March 29, 11am-1pm

Where: SDBFC, 8325 University Ave, La Mesa, CA 91942

Speakers

11:20a - Robin Naughton - Ergonomics - taking care of YOUR body during pregnancy and postpartum

11:40a - Nikki Helms - Nighttime Routines and Why They're Important

12:20p - Dr. Cassidy Freitas - Preparing Your Partnership for Postpartum

12:40p - Robin Kaplan - Assembling your Breastfeeding Circle of Support

RSVP are a must so that we don’t run out of tacos!

Our 2019 Fundraiser was a HUGE Success!

Thank you!  Thank you! Thank you!  

Our 2019 end-of-the year fundraiser was such a HUGE success and we cannot thank you enough for all of your support.  Our goal was to raise $10,000 between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve and we ended the fundraiser with donations totaling $5,850! We are truly humbled by our community’s support, which allows us to forge forward in 2020 to provide free and reduced-fee breastfeeding consultations for families with financial and racial barriers to receiving breastfeeding support. The recipients’ testimonials say it all…. these consultations were lifesavers!

Due to your generosity, we will be able to provide over 50 free/reduced-fee breastfeeding consultations in 2020.  This covers about 25% of the consultations we plan to provide in 2020, so while our fundraising efforts never end, this gets us off to an amazing start in 2020!

Something new we added during this year’s fundraising campaign was dedicating a week’s donations to fund a scholarship for a local woman of color to become an IBCLC.  We are pleased to announce that we raised $1920 for our scholarship fund and look forward to gifting this to an IBCLC student in 2020!

Thank you to our donors!

Each of our donors is incredibly important and imperative for funding our programs, which is why we like to share their names on our donor pages!  There also are a few donors we would like to personally thank today for their very generous donations this year. These individuals and businesses donated $250 or more to our foundation in 2019:

Schoenith Foundation, TUA

Dr. Stanton, Victoria, and Alana Hom at Future Generations

Dr. Najmeh Hannahvash at Little Star Pediatric Dentistry

Kindred Bravely

Rawr Naturals

Gymboree

Good Vibrations Chiropractic 

Rebecca Hammond

Jamie Reichling

Cheryl and Greg Williams

Becoming Peaceful

Nutrition in Bloom

Blissful Bellys

Sugar Night Night

Rise Physical Therapy

Sakura Bloom

Thank you, from all of us at the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation!  You have truly made a difference in so many families’ lives and we so appreciate it!

Still want to donate?

You can make a one-time donation or a recurring monthly donation (which is one of our favorites!), through our website at any time! 

Racial Disparities in Healthcare and Breastfeeding Support

We’d like you to meet Chardá Fontenot. She is a Perinatal Navigator with Project Concern International Healthy Start, a Doula, a Certified Lactation Educator & Counselor (CLEC), and one of our board members. She is someone who is truly committed and already making enormous strides to improve health and breastfeeding outcomes for our local African-American and black families. We feel honored to know her and to work with her!

I‘m so excited to be a part of the SDBFC Foundation Board! A personal and professional goal of mine is to increase the breastfeeding rates for all families, but particularly black breastfeeding families due to the low initiation and duration rates. 

The most recent statistics from the CDC show that White and Hispanic families have an 82% breastfeeding initiation rate, with 27-31% breastfeeding at 1 year.  Black families have a 64% breastfeeding initiation rate, with 17% breastfeeding at 1 year.

In order to eliminate that disparity there needs to be a sense of urgency and a group of individuals that are dedicated to helping these families. The SDBFC foundation has the capacity, skill and drive to help break down the barriers that prevent black families from breastfeeding successfully. 

I believe anyone that wants to breast/chest feed, should be able to do so and with proper support. Having access to a lactation professional that is knowledgeable, inclusive and affordable is key. SDBFC Foundation fits that role and fills a gap that needs some focus. 

In my job, I work with many families both prenatally and postpartum. I see the struggles first hand and the first thing I do is offer support as a CLEC, but if it’s something that needs to be addressed by an IBCLC, some families simply can not afford the help they deserve so they quit. The SDBFC foundation is here to prevent families from quitting due to lack of support and assistance. This is why I’m so excited to be a part of the foundation. I want all of those who want breastfeeding help to be able to obtain it. 

For us to continue doing this amazing work, we need your support in order to support those who need it most. Your donation of any amount helps towards our mission and will keep breastfeeding babies and families happy, healthy and thriving!

Chardá Fontenot, SDBFC Foundation Board Member

---

Ready to help us reduce racial disparities in breastfeeding?

All is takes is your donation. $5, $50, $500.... it all makes a difference!

Can you help us reach our $10,000 goal?

---

For more information about the racial disparities in healthcare and breastfeeding support, particularly for African-American and black families in the United States, please see Chardá’s interview with Robin, by clicking here!

Increase Access to Breastfeeding Support this Giving Tuesday 2019

We’d like you to meet Veronica.  She is one of the moms who was able to access affordable breastfeeding support because of the reduced-free consultations provided by the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation.

I reached out to the San Diego Breastfeeding center after experiencing the hardest eight weeks of my life. My baby was born a few weeks premature, he had a tongue and lip tie, he experienced colic, and we had many lactation problems among a number of other issues. I was desperate, I felt helpless and was beginning to experience postpartum depression and anxiety. As my last hope, I left a voice message at the SD Breastfeeding Center thinking I would get a call back until Monday since it was a weekend; however, I was surprised to get a call back that same day. The person on the phone was very understanding and empathic, and she was able to schedule my appointment with Robin right away. I explained that we had so many expenses given all the issues we experienced and I was worried that I would not be able to keep my appointment because I could not afford it. Again, the administrator who helped me was very understanding and I was offered a lower fee.

I felt so fortunate to be able to work with Robin, who is extremely knowledgeable and professional. I was in tears at my appointment, but with her positive and calm energy she was able to provide the support and empowerment I needed to not lose hope. Had they not offered a reduced fee, I would have never been able to breastfeed my baby, something which was extremely important for me to do. I am forever grateful with Robin and the SD Breastfeeding Center for giving me such an opportunity to obtain services I would have never imagined I could have access to. I am happy to say that my baby is now five months old and we are breastfeeding beautifully.

- Veronica G.

Did you know that San Diego has pockets of ‘breastfeeding deserts’ where there is limited access to breastfeeding support groups and lactation consultants.  These deserts exist in areas that have a higher population of low income families and families of color. This is absolutely unacceptable! Access to breastfeeding education and feeding support is a basic human right, not a privilege.  

Your donation today, no matter the size, helps us train breastfeeding support staff and provide free and low-cost breastfeeding consultations to families living in these breastfeeding deserts.  Help us break down these income and racial disparities today!

Join me in helping local families, like Veronica’s, gain access to critical breastfeeding support on this #GivingTuesday. 

Wondering how to do this?

We are asking you to help us #SupportSDMoms by donating your weekly coffee money!  It’s that simple!  If everyone reading this blog post/email donated $20 today (the amount they would spend at a coffee shop this week), we would be able to raise over $40,000 on #GivingTuesday.  

Can you help us reach our $10,000 goal?

All you have to do is click on this Go Fund Me link to donate this week’s coffee allowance and help bring affordable and accessible breastfeeding support to hundreds of local families.

To donate to the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation, you can send a check to:

San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation

8325 University Ave.

La Mesa, CA 91942

Or donate through Go Fund Me!

READ THIS BEFORE YOU SHOP ON AMAZON THIS 2019 HOLIDAY SEASON!

DID YOU KNOW….

• While 93% of parents start breastfeeding exclusively at birth in San Diego, only 56% continue doing so at 3 months, largely due to a lack of financial resources and access to ongoing lactation support.

• You can donate to the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation with every purchase you make through Amazon Smile?  

• You can help low-income families and women of color gain access to critical breastfeeding support by purchasing Amazon items online, just by shopping through smile.amazon.com instead of amazon.com!

GUESS HOW EASY THIS IS???

We are asking you to take 60 seconds of your time today to designate the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation as your charitable recipient for Amazon Smile.  All you have to do is go to their website (smile.amazon.com) and choose the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation as your Amazon Smile recipient. Then as you make your holiday purchases, as well as your staples of diapers, nipple cream, baby toys, book, etc, the SDBFC Foundation will receive 0.5% of every purchase, at no extra cost to you.  This money will go directly to paying for lactation consultations for families in need.

---

I am thankful that I had access to a lactation consultant through the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation at a discounted/affordable rate during the first weeks and months after having my first child. Breastfeeding was an ever-changing thing for us and being able to have this type of support was what I needed to push through and even enjoy the experience and make sure my son was getting what he needed in a way that was sustainable. We are still breast-feeding fifteen months in, and it has been both the hardest and sweetest aspect of motherhood. I don't know if I could say that without the one on one appointments I was able to have at multiple points in our breastfeeding journey that provided much needed tools and support. Just having someone to observe and bounce concerns and issues off of was priceless! 

Nicole P.

---

Amazon Smile Details:

AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support your favorite charitable organization every time you shop, at no cost to you. When you shop at smile.amazon.com, you’ll find the exact same low prices, vast selection and convenient shopping experience as Amazon.com, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the purchase price to your favorite charitable organization.

To donate to the San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation directly, you can send a check to:

San Diego Breastfeeding Center Foundation

8325 University Ave.

La Mesa, CA 91942

Or donate through our website: https://www.sdbfcfoundation.org/donate.