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Lactation consultation

Breastfeeding support
Calm birth and baby
Calm birth and baby

What is more important than having a full, thriving and contented baby? Adjusting to a new life with baby is hard enought, however, when breastfeeding is not going well it can be one of the most stressful moments you will encounter as a mum. 

Working for the infant feeding team for 7 years in a large London hospital and community, accomplishing my International Board Certified Lactation Consultant Certificate (IBCLC) in 2015 and also working for 2 years in a private practice as an IBCLC gave me the opportunity to help almost a thousand mums and babies who had breastfeeding issues. Unfortunately, not every breastfeeding problem can be solved, but every problem can be helped and very often a solution can be found.  

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 Below are examples of the most common problems I deal with on a daily basis:

  • Painful, sore or damaged nipples

  • Painful feeds

  • Missahpen or discoloured nipples after feeding

  • Engorgement

  • Mastitis

  • Blocked ducts

  • Low or reduced milk supply

  • Too much milk or over supply

  • Tiredness or exhaustion from long or very frequent feeding

  • Distress from failure to establish breastfeeding

  • Fast let-down

  • Breast pain

  • Breast abscess

  • Nipple blisters or blebs

  • Thrush

  • Raynaud's phenomenon

  • Baby cannot latch on the breast

  • Problems with latching

  • Baby slipping of the breast 

  • Baby not sustaining a deep latch

  • Premature end of feed due to baby's exhaustion

  • Baby falling asleep on the breast

  • Very long feeds

  • Continuous feeding cycle

  • Very frequent feeds

  • is unsettled or crying after a feed

  • Baby needs to be topped up after breastfeeding

  • Baby is slow to gain weight or losing weight

  • Baby has difficulty controlling milk flow or choking easily

  • Colic and wind

  • Reflux

  • Baby refuses the breast or bottle

  • Jaundice

  • Tongue-tie

  • Using nipple shields

  • Using supplementing nursing system

Expat Midwife Geneva
What can I do for you if breastfeeding is not going well

  • Diagnose common, but also less common and rare breast and breastfeeding issues 

  • Check an correct the positioning and attachment of your baby to the breast

  • Observe the whole feed and assess if your baby is suckling nutritively and emptying the breast

  • Help you and teach you how to achieve a deeper and more comfortable latch

  • Check for tongue tie or any other structural mouth abnormalities​

  • Give you strategies and guidance on how to increase your milk supply if supply is low

  • Show you how to use alternative feeding methods if baby cannot latch on

  • Go through expressing your milk (by hand and pump)

  • Give you practical tips on how to breastfeed twins

  • Advice on feeding problems in the early weeks before breastfeeding is established

  • Help you to solve breastfeeding issues with an older baby 

  • Provide solutions on what to do if you have too much milk or fast let down

  • Explain how to wean baby off the breast 

  • Advice on relactation and induced lactation 

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Lactation consultation
Initial Lactation Consultation at your home

Initial consultation usually takes around 1.5 hours in the comfort of your home and includes:

  • Full medical, birth and feeding history

  • Observation of a full feed

  • Finding a reason and solution to your problem

  • Optimising positioning and attachment

  • Full assessment of baby's mouth and sucking

  • Weighing baby (if needed)

  • Free follow up phonecall

  • Phone or email support up to two weeks

Price:

  • CHF 260*

*Your basic Swiss LaMal insurance will cover this cost fully or partially depending on how many visits you have left.

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Subsequent Lactation Consultation Visit at my place
Subsequent Lactation Consultation  visit in Bernex

Sometimes only one consultation is not enough and another visit or visits are needed. Those visits are usually shorter, as I already have lots of information about you and your baby, and take one to one and half hours. You have the option to come to my place in Bernex, Geneva.

Price:

  • CHF 160*

*This cost will be covered by your basic Swiss LaMal insurance.

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Parking available

 

Subsequent lactation consulation at your home
Subsequent Lactation Consultation visit at your home

Sometimes only one consultation is not enough and another visit or visits are needed. Those visits are usually shorter, as I already have lots of information about you and your baby, and take one to one and half hours. 

Price:

  • CHF 180​​​*

*Your basic Swiss LaMal insurance will cover this cost fully or partially depending on how many visits you have left.

Initial Lactation Consultation at my place
Initial Lactation Consultation in Bernex

Initial consultation usually takes around 1.5 hours in my place in Bernex, Geneva and includes:

  • Full medical, birth and feeding history

  • Observation of a full feed

  • Finding a reason and solution to your problem

  • Optimising positioning and attachment

  • Full assessment of baby's mouth and sucking

  • Weighing baby (if needed)

  • Phone or email support up to two weeks

Price:

  • CHF 240*

*Your basic Swiss LaMal insurance will cover this cost fully or partially depending on how many visits you have left.

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Parking available​

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Lactation consultation over Skype

Skype consultations have lots of limitations compared to face to face visits and are not suitable for complex breastfeeding isuues where positioning and attachment needs to be worked on.  However, if you have only questions regarding breastfeeding, skype option can be sufficient. 

Price:

  • CHF 120* 

*This cost will be covered by your basic Swiss LaMal insurance.

 

Expat midwife Geneva
My Philosophy

 

I understand how important breastfeeding can be for you and I want it to work out as much as you do. 

 

I want to give you all the information I can, tailored to your specific breastfeeding challenge. 

 

I 'd like you to meet your breastfeeding goals, whatever they are. Want to mix feed or feed exclusively? Want to breastfeed for one month or three years? I will support and respect your choices. It is your baby, your body, and your journey. 

 

I know that not every mum can produce enough milk and as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant I know, what can go wrong with milk production. Some babies have trouble getting milk from the breast, and some mums just cannot produce enough milk for their baby due to hormonal imbalance or physical structure that makes it hard to produce enough milk. 

 

I also know that a bottle will not fix a breastfeeding issue, however, for mothers who struggle with breastfeeding, a formula is the best substitute. When a baby is underweight or unwell, when mum is close to breaking down due to sleep deprivation or sore, painful nipples, a formula can save baby's life and mum's sanity. 

 

I know that some mums choose not to breastfeed for personal reasons, and that is ok. For whatever reason, some women just don't like the thought of a baby feeding from their breast.

Consultations are in English language. 

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Appartment Athanasi, 1st Floor, Route de Pré-Marais 41, 1233, Bernex, Genève, Switzerland

Tram 14, stop Pré-Marais

Bus 47, 63, J, K, L - stop P&R Bernex

Bus S - stop Bernex Vuillonnex or stop Bernex P&R

Bus 43 - Stop Confignon Bains de Cressy

Parking available on bay A 17 or visitors bays. Buggy can be left downstairs, please call me when you arrive and I will come down to help you with carrying your bags or baby. 

“II was quite desperate when I contacted Miroslava Athanasi because my baby would struggle to latch on. I had a quick response with all the information I needed and a visit within 2 days of my contact. Really professional work, amazing person to deal with and she takes her time . A big thank you for all the help and support.” 

 

Anastasia Orfanidou

Expat midwife Geneva
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