COLLEEN HANLON, IBCLC, FNP
lactation home visits in Boston/ South Shore
email/text to schedule:
colleen@colleenhanlon.com
617-939-9781
​Welcome!
I am so glad you are here!
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I am a family nurse practitioner and IBCLC who makes lactation support home visits in the Boston and South Shore area. I want to help you meet your feeding goals--whatever they are. I'm also a mom of 2 who has experienced my fair share of feeding concerns with both my kids. If this feels hard right now, trust me, I know it is! I also know getting the right help can make it better.
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Recovering from giving birth, becoming a parent, and learning to breastfeed a baby are not easy tasks. We are not meant to have to figure this all out alone. I am here to help you understand which way is up, talk through your goals, make a plan to fix what isn't working, cheer you on, possibly cry a little with you, and hopefully also laugh lot too.
Common problems I address are: breast/nipple pain and damage, difficulty latching, low milk supply, concerns about your baby gaining enough weight, figuring out if a tongue tie is present, transitioning away from a nipple shield, supplementing to support continued breastfeeding, understanding feeding cues, and sometimes just reassurance that what feels chaotic is actually OK.
I am also available for 1:1 prenatal visits to help you learn what to expect and prepare for breastfeeding, as well as back to work visits to help you to continue to breastfeed after your parental leave ends. ​​​​​
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HOW MY PRACTICE WORKS
I make home visits within about a 30 minute drive of Quincy, MA. If you are not sure if I cover your area, please don't hesitate to ask! I want to help you and I try to accommodate visits out of my typical area--or if I can't, recommend a colleague--when possible.
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Because scheduling for home visits can be a bit like playing tetris, please email me at colleen@colleenhanlon.com, or text me at 617-939-9781 to set up a visit so can I manually fit you into my calendar. I will answer your message within 24 hours from M-F (within 48 hours on the weekends)though I try to respond as soon as I can!
A few more details...
Payment and Insurance Coverage
I am not currently able to bill insurance directly (I'm actively working on adding this service!)
However, lactation support is mandated under the ACA, and most MA insurance companies will reimburse you in full for my lactation visits. If you would like to check with your insurance first, you can call them to verify if they will reimburse for my visit. My NPI number is 1073932059.
Payment from you is due at the time of my visit, and I will provide you with a superbill and receipt you can use to submit for reimbursement to your insurance company.
My home visit fee is $425, payable in cash or by check.
What happens in a visit and how to prepare
A home visit usually lasts 1-1.5 hours and starts with a review of you and your baby's medical history, birth, questions and concerns.
For most situations, I will assess a full feed at the breast with before and after weights to determine the amount of milk transfer. I will also complete an oral exam to understand your baby's oral function.
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We'll then work together make an individualized, workable plan to address your concerns.
This all works best if your baby is ready to feed at the time of our visit. This usually means timing your baby's last feed to be about 2 hours before I visit.
Please don't clean your home for me, and know there is absolutely no need to change out of your pajamas if you do not want to!
Follow up and communication with your pediatrician
I will fax a copy of our visit note to your pediatrics provider within 24 hours so they remain in the loop of care.
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I try my very best to give you everything you need and answer all of your questions in our initial visit. However, sometimes we will need to follow up - to assess what effect our plan has had, address new concerns, or adjust your goals or plan.
I happily answer follow up questions by email or text in the time following our visit. We'll schedule another visit if a new in person assessment or a more extensive consultation is needed.​
For most problems, between 1-3 visits with some messaging in between, is typical, though I have supported some families over a longer duration when needed.