Thank heavens for Elena. I never thought I'd spend so much time, effort, and energy on my breasts in a whole lifetime! I recently had my first baby and had NO IDEA the journey that was ahead for me. Breastfeeding was not an easy road for me and my kiddo, so I could not be more grateful for our angel, Elena. She was wholeheartedly dedicated to us and our success, committed to understanding our goal(s) and helping us achieve what wasn't coming quickly or easily. At such a vulnerable time, you cannot ask for anything better than Elena's knowledge, experience, and kind touch to guide you through. It's why she has such a strong reputation and is sought out in the LA area. I'm happy to say, my baby and I finally got our act together, because we followed Elena's lead, and we have been happily breastfeeding for several months now, with more goodness ahead. I am forever grateful for the bonding and health this experience provides. Priceless. What a beautiful gift to share with another human, and Elena does it with grace and care. read more

Elena Vogel, IBCLC - Elena taking good care of us! - Lactation Services Near Me

Elena is so knowledgeable and informative, she's helped troubleshoot breastfeeding issues with both of my babies. I've learned so much from her in each session, and was able to nurse successfully for almost 2 years even after lots of pain and struggle initially! Highly, highly recommend! read more

Our little one stopped crying the minute Elena stepped in the door and took him into her arms. She immediately showed us what we could do to instantly soothe him, a trick we've used every day since. We were lost amidst the madness of being first time parents, and certainly felt hopeless and helpless. It was by chance that Elena came into our lives and turned everything around. I will spare you the details of the many issues we faced but suffice it to say they have all been relieved. Thank you, Elena. read more

Elena saved me just a few days after delivering my son. He had a severe tongue tie and wouldn't latch; he was dropping weight quickly and we needed help quickly. Elena fit me into her schedule ASAP and in the meantime, she helped me over text as often as I needed it prior to us meeting. She gave us so many helpful tips and got me through a very difficult first week. In addition to her expertise, Elena is warm, compassionate, and understanding. She provided much emotional support during our difficult time and always made me feel hopeful and positive that our son would eventually get where he needed to. Ultimately he did! He is doing wonderfully breastfeeding now, much thanks to Elena. read more

Elena is the absolute best! A lifesaver. I did a session with her pre-birth and she gave me the knowledge to know what to expect in my little ones first few days of life. She was there to support me in the hospital via facetime when we were having trouble latching on one side and once we arrived home, she came to see us (multiple times!). She has been a HUGE support in my breastfeeding journey and I can happily say we are now in such a great groove. As a first time, anxious Mom, Elena gave me the confidence and support I needed. I would HIGHLY recommend using Elena - your baby will thank you! :) read more

There is a reason Elena is one of the top recommended IBCLC's in LA--she really is the best. Even five years ago, with my first child, Elena was recommended to me by the pediatrician but I ended up going with the LC from the hospital instead. This time around with my second child, I saw two other IBCLC's before I finally saw her but she kept getting recommended to me over and over. The first LC I saw was no nonsense and practical but had no heart. The second just sold me an SNS that didn't work and told me to wait until the baby got bigger. I finally met with Elena and she worked her magic. It was a difficult road to bring baby back to the breast at 9 weeks old (tongue tie) but with her encouragement, empathy, intelligence and support we made it happen. I am so grateful for her and I could not recommend her highly enough. She shepherded me through some dark moments and kept showing me the big picture. Without Elena, I probably would have given up breastfeeding weeks ago. read more

Elena is the only lactation consultant you should see! I was referred to her after weeks of horrible feedings with my daughter. My issues started when she was 8 weeks old and after seeing 2 other LCs, I made my way to Elena when she was 14 weeks (it was rough!). The other LCs had missed my daughter's tongue tie, and once it was diagnosed I saw Elena to confirm and get guidance. Not only did she coach me through the decision of getting the tongue tie revision, but also gave me amazing tips on how to improve feeding, and also a ton of education on nursing in general. She is extremely responsive, and came several times after my daughter's tongue tie revision to check healing and improvement on nursing. Elena gave me so much confidence and is a huge part of the reason I am still breastfeeding at 5 months. I wish I had seen her sooner! read more

Elena came to us through a good friend of ours who is also a lactation consultant. We trust this friend and her recommendations very much, so I predicted that Elena was going to be a good fit for my baby daughter and I -- and she was! Elena cared very deeply about helping my daughter to latch, and she was very knowledgeable and professional as well. After several weeks of trying to breastfeed with varying degrees of success, I decided that I was going to stop trying. Elena was very kind and understanding during my decision-making process, and in no way did my stopping have anything to do with her skill level at all. She knew just what to say to help me through it! Although my breastfeeding journey was shorter than I predicted, I feel so grateful to have had Elena there helping me. I'd recommend her to any mothers out there. read more

This woman should be on every new mom's 'must have' list! :-) Elena helped us to identify a tongue-tie in our newborn. She then helped us connect with all the right people to help him. It's been almost 3 weeks and he's already latching SO much better and feeding is way easier for us! She has a wealth of information. What I love about her is she focuses on both mom and baby and wants mom to understand what to do to be comfortable and relaxed during feeding. Having her come to our house was essential because she helped show me ways to feed in my space that ensure I'm physically comfortable, too! She really takes the time to truly evaluate your baby and see his/her feeding strengths and weakness. Then, she gives you the info and shows you how you can make feeding the best it can be. Because of the tongue tie release procedure we've had a couple follow ups with her to ensure he's progressing, and each time I learn more and more wonderful information from her. Thank you Elena! You truly are a gift! I will not hesitate for one moment to sing your praises and refer people to you. read more

Elena is not just a Doula or Lactation Consultant - she's a Sherpa for any new mom and/mom needing her services. I'm a new mom of a 7 wk old and Elena has helped me in ways I couldn't have imagined. I was new to breastfeeding and living with a baby - so many new things! What was so helpful was the context and connection points as to why my daughter needed things and/or how I needed to switch up how I was approaching or thinking about it - i.e. understanding that babies need help falling asleep and how to help them do it or really understanding how a baby needs to feed, e.g. the right latch, looking at their cues as to when they're finished, etc. There are SO many nuances to working with a newborn and just when you think you've got it, you have to switch up your approach. Elena helped me understand all of the above so I didn't drive myself crazy. She's a secret weapon for any parent and wish I could have her with me everyday :). I will be gifting Elena's services to any new moms, as it will provide them with a healthy start with their baby. read more

We have had a lot of issues with our newborn latching. We saw a lactation consultant who was unable to help us. Elena on the other hand was amazing, extremely thorough, smart, taught us a bunch of useful tricks and we're able to nurse quickly and easily. I'm definitely recommending her to my friends and coworkers! read more

Elena is extremely knowledgeable, intuitive, calm and realistic. When I found her I was exhausted with my 4 month old son who was essentially starving. He had been seen by 2 pediatricians, a 'world class' pediatric ent, and multiple lac consultants. No one could figure out what was going on with my Son and none could help my son gain weight. But, Elena did! With guidance and easy directions my son started to finally gain weight and sleep. I definitely feel that Elena saved my son and I am extremely grateful I found her. our sessions were thorough and I felt I had her undivided attention. I highly recommend Elena to anyone having a baby and planning to breastfeed or experiencing any difficulties. read more

Elena is the best! I really thought I would be an expert the second time around (let's all laugh together for a second), but when my nipples were cracked and bleeding and baby was losing too much weight the first week, it was time to call in some help. I had gotten Elena's number from a friend who just had a baby, and I'm so glad I did. She came over within a day or two, which I was very thankful for because I was hurting, man. And let's be honest, in those early days every hour counts. Elena was great at putting me and my husband at ease, and after listening and observing for a few minutes she was able to tell me the exact combo of issues that were going on. She helped me with my latch (immediate relief!), and was able to confirm that I have a legitimate supply issue due to insufficient glandular tissue - this made so much sense! I had struggled with both children so far and my son ended up on 90% formula. I really wish I had known about Elena with my first child, because she could have saved me from beating myself up so much. She was super supportive, and gave me realistic expectations and strategies on how to maximize my output. I'm so happy to say a few months later we are thriving, pain-free and supplementing much less than we did with my first child. I would definitely recommend her to anyone who is having issues with feeding. Thank you so much Elena! read more

Elena saved mine and my daughter's breastfeeding journey! My 10 week old daughter was on her second nursing strike in a month and I was overwhelmed with trying to figure out what I could do to bring her back to the breast and also pumping round the clock to keep my milk supply up. I already had an over productive milk supply, so the pumping was making it worse. I knew something was wrong, a baby's natural instinct is to breastfeed. I didn't buy the other in-hospital Lactation Consultants that basically told me "it happens." It happens to 12 month old babies, not 10 week old babies! I found Elena through the Del Mar Birth Center and I am so grateful I did. She immediately diagnosed her with a tongue and lip tie and said we had to take quick action as she was already a bit older and even revising it wasn't a guarantee that she'd go back to breastfeeding, but she assured us that it was for her own well being as tongue ties can lead to lisps, speech problems, orthodontic problems, etc. It was emotional, because the tongue tie caused my daughter to not only have a bad latch, but as a result she swallowed air, displayed colic like symptoms, had possible jaw pain because she couldn't open wide enough to properly latch. All this led to her ultimately refusing to breastfeed because she couldn't take it anymore. All these things were devastating to hear, Elena was so kind, gentle and patient with me. She really made me feel like I had someone on my side after so many well meaning friends and family would tell me that I had a good run at 10 weeks of breast feeding and to be lucky I can pump to feed her breast milk. But as a mother I just knew something wasn't right, and Elena provided that validation for me. Long story short, she gave us referrals to the only two tongue tie pediatric specialists in Los Angeles, and to a chiropractor to do some body work on my daughter. This was all a recipe for success. After her revision (which is very hard for a parent to go through, it's minor surgery), my baby latched an hour later. And she's been latching and feeding like a champ ever since, her weight gain is regulated and she's so happy. My milk production has regulated because my daughter is properly draining my breasts now! Thank you Elena! Breast feeding has been the hardest thing I have ever done, (harder than my fourteen hour labor with no drugs!), and having Elena guide me through it was amazing. My only mistake was waiting 10 weeks to see her. Do yourself a favor and see her right after your baby's birth. :D read more

I don't think the word is out, but breastfeeding isn't the easiest or most instinctual action! Do yourself a favor and bookmark Elena so you can schedule her to come to your home and work with you right away! She is so personable and made me feel comfortable. I had her come twice and it helped immensely. Elena was responsive and available later over the phone when I had additional questions as well. read more

worth every penny and more. I found Elena during a panicked morning yelp session when I just finished a hellish night when my newborn would not eat. She was able to come that afternoon and perform magic. She assessed the situation based on my description and came up with quick solutions. My newborn was eating within a few minutes of her arrival. Elena made several suggestions, adjustments, and was extremely thorough and patient during her hour and a half plus visit. It was magic, but it wasn't a miracle. Elena diligently followed up, maintained contact, and made suggestions as we struggled with new feeding issues. We scheduled a follow-up visit that was just as thorough as the first adjusting to the new issues we were facing. My kid has proven to be a difficult case, but Elena's patience and guidance gives us the confidence to keep going. read more

Out the gate I had issues with a latch from the very 1st day. Even with the guidance of a very helpful midwife and doula, I was swimming in choppy waters of self doubt, concern, anxiety and the repetitive thought "is my baby getting enough milk." Breastfeeding became painful with blisters and the lactation shield not helping. By day 3 I sought out help from a lactation expert. I needed hands-on guidance and a crash course in how to help with the shallow latch my daughter had. I reached out to Elena based on Yelp reviews and she was one of the first to call me back from the VM I left her. Right away she began asking me questions for her intake and also asked how it was going for me. We talked back and forth on text that evening and then the next day too. What I experienced from the start was her concern, straightforwardness and calm yet impactful resolve to get the breastfeeding relationship working. It was a big sense of relief to get that first impression and experience because I felt a little more anchored and assured in this new terrain. In working with Elena we learned that my daughter had a tongue and lip tie. We used Elena's resources to get a 2nd and 3rd opinion. Every time I had an appt with someone else, Elena would follow up or ask me to text her how things went. I felt like I had someone in my corner, a "coach" who would help me make sense of new information and then help me to learn the new "plays" while taking into consideration all the other moving parts. As a first time Mom and this all happening the first week of my daughters birth, it was a huge comfort and relief to work with Elena who is so competent and resourceful at what she does. We moved forward on having the procedure done for my daughter and I worked with Elena several times to monitor my daughters weight gain and for her to show me positions and techniques for my daughter to re-learn how to latch correctly. I vividly remember one morning sitting on my couch with Elena who just arrived and updating her on the current situation. The undercurrent of stress, anxiety, doubt and frustration was bubbling up inside me. While I shared my experience and how it was still very painful when my daughter latched, I began to cry. Elena sat there with me and placed her hand on my shoulder and said "you are doing the best you can." It was her presence, gesture and words that let me relieve myself of the crippling thought that I was "not enough" or it was my fault. It was her help and reassurance that breastfeeding takes a lot of work and in my case it took time to find a rhythm in our relationship. I'm so grateful that I worked with Elena and the wonderful referrals she shared with me. It took about 6 weeks to get things moving smoothly and I'm so happy to share that breastfeeding has become fun and sweet as we continue on her 10months of exclusive breastfeeding. I highly recommend working with a lactation consultant and attending breastfeeding support groups. Elena was monumental in helping me through those "choppy waters" in the beginning and that kind of help is a blessing and a beacon. read more

I called Elena a few days after my daughter (4th child) was born. My nipples were cracked and blistered from nursing, and I was feeling feverish, weak and exhausted. Elena came to my house for 2 hours and patiently taught me how to have my daughter properly latch on my breast. My cracked nipples were due to my daughter not properly latching. Elena followed up everyday after our consultation to see how my breastfeeding was going. Exactly a week later I am feeling great, nipple blisters are gone, and breastfeeding is going very smooth. Elena isn't just a Lactation consultant, she also gave me great postpartum support and advice. So glad I contacted Elena - the best decision I made. read more

Elena was amazing with us. She helped me and my 3-months old after some up and downs during breastfeeding. She identified a tongue tie we had no idea about and recommended different positions to help with the latch of my baby. She was wonderful with our little one, observed and asked the right questions. I would strongly recommend her to any mama who is looking for support in breastfeeding. I had seeked for advice befofe in support groups etc...but never felt heard. It wasn't the case with Elena, she was extremely helpful. We managed to have an in-person session but she was very careful of the Covid guidelines. read more

This was the best investment I could have ever made toward the health and wellbeing of my daughter. I had seen several lactation consultants prior to Elena who worked in the hospital - and was losing hope, and after seeing Elena, things turned around! Her thorough analysis of me and my daughter shows her expertise, patience, encouragement and finally accurate advise. Following her notes, she began to latch, feed and my milk supply has increased. I was told she is the 'best in LA' from my Doula - and after comparing her to others she is beyond 5 stars. read more

I highly recommend Elena. I used her as a lactation consultant. I went to her seeking a tailored nursing and pumping plan, as I was planning to go back to work. Long story short, she helped us identify a tongue tie we would've never noticed. She is an excellent listener, asks a lot of great questions, and is highly experienced. She is helping us through a process that involves multiple providers over an extended time. I plan to share her info with everyone I know that's expecting or postpartum. Also, she takes Covid seriously and takes safety precautions. read more

My husband and I engaged Elena for lactation consultation services (based on a recommendation from a friend) several months before our daughter was due. I don't have family in California and knew breast feeding proved challenging for many new mothers. I was committed to breast feeding and wanted to give myself every opportunity to succeed in this endeavor. I met with Elena prior to my due date (so she could take a history and so that we could get to know one another), she came to the hospital to help us work on our latch, even before my milk came in, and we emailed and planned more visits as needed. I am 4 weeks postpartum and I can honestly say that our daughter (Rhiannon) wouldn't be exclusively breast fed if it weren't for Elena. Rhiannon was a "sleepy" baby (meaning she fell asleep while nursing and it took tremendous effort to wake her/keep her awake). As such, my milk supply began to lessen about 2 weeks in. The doctor casually said "just supplement her with formula" and I wanted to cry or punch her in the face (or both). Elena developed a plan whereby I would nurse the baby from both breasts, for as long as she would stay on, taking great care to keep her awake, and then pump both breasts upon completion. She taught my husband to bottle feed the expressed milk to Rhiannon in a very slow/purposeful manner. I was terrified by the thought of giving her a bottle at 2 weeks old - I had heard horror stories of babies refusing to nurse after being given a bottle. Elena kept us on this plan only until my milk supply caught up and the baby kept nursing the entire time. My issue du jour is that I have a plugged duct and Elena is helping me to remedy that. The list of things she has helped us with goes on and on, but the fact is that she is an amazing resource for breast feeding and baby care/behavior in general. As a first time parent, I was/am extremely nervous about Rhiannon's weight gain and my milk supply. Knowing I can call on Elena for help makes me more relaxed and able to focus on parenting. To top it off, unlike a lot of breast feeding advocates, she isn't preachy and will help you develop a system that works for you, whatever your constraints may be. I wish I had thought to use her as a birth doula as well - I have no doubt that she is extremely supportive during labor and would make the entire experience better for mother and baby. read more

Elena is amazing. She was our doula for the birth of our daughter in 2010, and will be there for the birth of our second baby next month. She is a fantastic listener, teacher, and nurturer, who helped me make it through an unmedicated birth in a hospital setting (Cedars). She took charge when that is what I needed, and stepped back when I was doing fine on my own, and worked with the hospital staff and OB to make sure my wishes were respected. She knew my OB from prior births and has lots of experience within a hospital setting, so there was no weirdness from the staff about us having a doula present. Everyone worked together and it was a great experience. Elena spent lots of time with us before, during, and after birth, and really took the time to get to know us as a couple, how we deal with stress, and how we work together. Because she was with us I was able to stay at home until I was really close, and only had to spend an hour and a half in the hospital before the birth- which is exactly what I wanted. During her follow up visits she was a huge help, a huge source of information, and so reassuring. I could not recommend her more. read more

Elena is that rare combination of consummate professional and warm, caring den mother. I used her as a birth doula but ended up needing more than just a passing consultation with her as a lactation consultant, due to unforeseen problems with breast feeding. This was my second pregnancy and I was planning a home birth. She was everything I could have hoped for and more. Punctual, organized, asked all the right questions, supportive and a good listener. She never talked down to me or acted like her word was final. The process was collaborative, but she always remained firmly in charge as the person "overseeing" the birth. I really felt like I did not have to worry about anything... that she was thinking through and on top of every detail. In the last two weeks of my pregnancy I had some false labor. She talked through it with me on the phone so I understood what was going on with my body. She was a godsend to get me through that, because false labor is pretty scary and confusing. On the day when my water finally broke and I called her, she asked me about it in detail. She felt due to the nature of my contractions, it might not necessarily be my membranes breaking but some other kind of fluid. She told me that it was fine, though, that my OB/GYN (who had agreed to deliver my baby at home) would be bringing special pH paper with him to test the fluid to make sure it really was my water. My doctor called me two minutes later to say he was on his way. I mentioned the pH papers, and he said, "Oh that's a great idea! Let me swing back to my office to get some!" In this and other instances, Elena's attention to detail elevated everyone's game (including, ironically, the doctor's). As it turned out, my water had indeed not broken; it turned out to be "profound mucus," which is often mistaken for broken water. I asked the doctor to manually break my membranes, since I was overdue and felt really ready to have the baby. He did, and the birth itself went well, again, largely due to Elena's calm, positive energy. She kept me focused on doing what I needed to do and got me through the tough parts. My labor from first, mild contractions to baby actually being out was only about five hours. Unfortunately, after the birth my placenta did not come out, and after an hour of waiting, my doctor took it out manually. He left shortly after that and Elena stayed to get me and the baby comfortable and to ensure that breastfeeding was going well. As she was leaving, she was alarmed at how much I was still bleeding. She told me that if the bleeding didn't diminish it was a cause for concern and that I should call my doctor. In short, she was right, and left me with much more specific and clearly worded instructions than my doctor had. Once again, I was so grateful for her depth of experience and clear communication style. By 6 a.m., after a night of partial sleep and heavy bleeding, it was clear I needed to call my doctor. He told me to come straight to his office, where he found that a small piece of placenta had been retained, thus the bleeding. My doc thought probably the best course of action was a d and c, but also gave me one or two other options. Not being quite sure, I called Elena and once again she was able to break down the issue clearly, explaining that even a small piece of placenta can disrupt a woman's hormonal balance and interfere with breastfeeding. That was all I needed to hear. I agreed to the d and c. Once I got home from the hospital after the d and c, I settled into bonding with my baby and breastfeeding. Elena came by for the lactation consultation that comes included in her doula package, and she had some concerns about how my baby girl was nursing. A quick check of her mouth revealed a lip tie, and she suspected a tongue tie as well. She strongly recommended going out to see Dr. James Jesse in Ventura, a dentist who specializes in the laser frenectomy that resolves this problem. I drove out to Ventura and Dr. Jesse performed the frenectomy on the lip tie that Elena had seen, but he didn't feel we had an issue with a tongue tie. Elena expressed concern about this, in that she had felt fairly certain that a tongue tie was a big part of the issue of the baby's nursing problems. A week later, the baby was still having trouble making a good latch and was not gaining weight properly, so it was clear something was still wrong. So I went back out to see Dr. Jesse, and he agreed to do the tongue tie. Almost immediately (that night), my baby started latching properly and feeding easily. It was like night and day. Once again it struck me as amazing that Elena, a "mere" doula and LC, seemed to have a better understanding of things than the doctors! In short, you're lucky if Elena is part of your baby's birth and helps you out with breastfeeding. She is truly great at what she does. read more

This review is long overdue. I had my daughter in March 2013, and found out at her first pediatrician's appointment that she had lost a ton of weight (more than normal). The pediatrician basically said I had to meet with a lactation consultant that day, or I would have to give formula. Through my midwife's recommendation, I called Elena, and within a few hours she was at my apartment. She was so kind and reassuring at a time when I was emotionally and physically exhausted. She came up with a clear cut plan, which she wrote down in great detail so that I wouldn't forget in my sleep-deprived state. Elena also was the only person to diagnose my daughter with a posterior tongue tie, which is what was causing our latch issues. She then helped me to get in touch with someone who could fix the tongue tie, which would not have been an easy task, since the posterior type is rare. I had a few more meetings with Elena after that first one, as well as several phone conversations and text messages, and though it was a tough road, I finally managed to breast feed at the breast (with no extra "equipment!") at about 2.5 months, and haven't looked back since. This truly would not have been possible without Elena's help. I will be forever grateful for her assistance, and will use her again in the future if I ever needed help in this area. read more

Where do I begin? Elena is the best you can find for all your lactation/doula needs. She is kind, patient and beyond helpful in her approach. She really understands the mechanics of nursing which is so important in getting a proper latch and alleviating pain/discomfort and any other issues new moms face. I have used Elena for both my kids (as they have tongue and latch issues) and I can honestly say that if it weren't for Elena, I would never have known the wonderful experience that breast feeding can actually be! Thank you again Elena for being so wonderful! read more

She is amazing, that is the only way I can describe her. This review is LONG overdue, as my son is now two. I've been thinking about Elena lately as number #2 is coming along shortly and I remember how crucial she was in my breastfeeding success. After her first visit with Oliver and I, everything changed. She honestly saved my breastfeeding relationship. Over the next year, she was a constant support system for me and any breastfeeding need/difficulty/question I had. She is so good at what she does, I have never seen anything like it. I highly recommend Elena, she is truly one of a kind! read more

Elena is great! I had the hardest time breastfeeding because my kid had tongue and lip ties and my milk was slow to come in. My pediatrician recommended Elena because many of her other patients spoke highly of her. We tried many different approaches and techniques to help my baby latch. Not only is Elena technically skilled, she is such a calming, reassuring and non-judgmental presence. This was so important during this sensitive, vulnerable time. She was responsive and informative to texts after my appointments. I remember counting the hours until I could get her help again. It wasn't easy, but with Elena's guidance, things got better and breastfeeding was bearable in a couple of weeks, much easier after my baby was 2-3 months. After things smoothed out, Elena helped me navigate a confusing insurance claim process, patiently mailing and updating forms and codes. Very grateful to have found her. read more

Elena is amazing! Best decision I made in those first few days after birth, where everything is new. She makes you feel comfortable right off the bat, one of those people you feel like you've known forever. Our daughter wasn't latching properly and we wanted a second opinion on our midwife's tongue tied diagnosis. Elena is a pure pro. She confirmed the tongue tie, showed me how to properly latch and gave us a game plan for when we needed to feed our girl. She also allowed us follow-up emails if we had additional questions, needed recommendations or things weren't getting better with the tongue tie (luckily for us they were). Elena weighs your baby right there so you know how much milk they're getting. It gives you a peace of mind to know your milk is/isn't coming in and the baby is actually drinking! Nursing no longer hurt. I no longer had to worry about my baby getting the milk she needed or gaining the weight back after birth. I would highly recommend Elena to anyone! read more

Elena is incredible. What I appreciate most about her is her professionalism, attention to detail, ability to remember details from past visits two months prior, quick response to follow up questions, and most importantly, her kindness. She helped my baby and I through a rough start to nursing. She even spent time talking to me before birth because I was concerned about tongue-tie issues. When the issues did arise, she accommodated is two days after birth and has supported us the entire time (and still is supporting us!). I always feel cared for and Elena also is incredibly knowledgeable while also holding the delicate balance of respect for other opinions in her field. I saw three lactation consultants both in two different hospital stays, as well as outside of the hospital and Elena by far was the most knowledgeable and skilled. I highly recommend Elena! read more

Elena saved my breastfeeding relationship, literally. I had a baby who didn't gain weight, was screaming all day long, was never able to latch, and no one could figure out what was wrong. I went through three pediatricians and 6 (yes SIX) lactation consultants before I found Elena who helped me discover the severity of my daughter's tongue and lip tie. She guided me through the process of finding a pediatric dentist who would properly fix it, and came over countless times afterwards to help me basically teach my baby how to breastfeed from scratch at 4 months old. I would have never have had the moments I've had with my baby if it weren't for Elena. I had some terrible experiences with other popular LC's and Elena is the only one who approached me with empathy. I cannot recommend her enough. read more

Elena was our birth doula and lactation consultant. When we first thought about using a doula, my husband and I wanted to find someone we trusted and were very comfortable with in the delivery room. Elena helped us navigate the entire process, including all the twists and turns that come with any birth. She was respectful, nonjudgmental, so supportive, calm and experienced. I was never scared and always felt like I was in good hands. After my daughter was born, she had feeding issues due to a tongue tie. Elena not only diagnosed the problem, she continually checked in and was a great resource. She wanted to help find the right solution for me and my daughter. Elena truly cares. I highly recommend her. read more

Elena is absolutely amazing. She came to our house to help me with my breastfeeding needs. My baby had a tongue tie and I was in desperate needs of someone who could teach me how to get us back on track. She explained everything very clearly, showed me how to place my hands and position the baby. She even knew the tongue tie exercises we needed to be doing and she helped me fix what I was doing incorrectly there as well. She is incredibly knowledgeable, what I learned in a 2 hour consultation was well worth the money. You won't be disappointed. If there is anything I can say to new parents, often breastfeeding is the hardest part of postpartum having someone like Elena can give you the peace of mind that you will get better at it and that breastfeeding can actually be enjoyable for you and your baby. I could go on and on if you STILL aren't sure she even found a lump in my breast that was the start of a clogged duct from being an overproduced. She helped me clear it so it did not spread into becoming an infection later. Like I said this woman knows a lot. Don't hesitate to call. read more

Elena is an incredibly valuable resource, and if you are having trouble breastfeeding you should not wait to reach out for her help. At our very first session, she watched my baby feed, felt in her mouth, and formed a hypothesis for why we were having trouble. She gave me practical strategies for improving the situation, clearly written out (invaluable for my sleep deprived brain) but also spent additional time with us practicing them. When we hesitated to implement one of her recommendations (clipping a tongue tie - we didn't want to do surgery) she continued to work with us to find alternative strategies. She is wonderfully supportive, and helps build confidence and empowerment. She follows up, and is clearly invested in her clients' success. When I compare this to the half-assed assessment and pre-printed form I received at a westside lactation headquarters that shall go unnamed, Elena's work stands out even more. read more

I have to say that I was skeptical of spending more money on a lactation consultant after our experience with the consultants in the hospital. However after only an hour with Elena, we would have gladly paid 5x her fee. Her advice and manner transformed us from a scared, frustrated, and exhausted couple into parents who were confident we could take care of our firstborn. After a week of being frightened and frustrated by our son's weight-loss and difficulties nursing in the hospital and our first few days on our own at home, Elena's visit the next day got us on the right track. Our boy began packing on the ounces and three weeks later he's doing great. I definitely recommend any new parents to schedule some time with Elena for your first day home from the hospital with your newborn. Having a coach with Elena's experience and knowledge will make your new life so much more enjoyable and less frustrating and exhausting. read more

There are so many detailed and amazing reviews, and Elena deserves all of them. I called Elena mid-day during the week with what I thought was a nursing emergency, and without ever meeting me, she walked me through the solution to my issue over the phone. After our conversation, even though my issues were resolved, I scheduled a two-hour consultation, and she came to our place the next day. I'm so glad we found her! Elena is calming, kind, and very knowledgeable. After our session, I felt so much more-equipped to deal with the stresses of having my first child. I will continue to meet with Elena, as I believe she has so much to offer us. She is incredible! read more

So grateful to find Elena! She is very knowledgable. She is very accommodating and most of all very calm. She does not rush through, and fully explains herself as she is teaching. I would highly recommend her to all my family friends and yelpers :) read more

Elena is an amazing, patient, sensitive lactation consultant. I first saw her in the first few days of my son's life and I don't know how I would have survived my breastfeeding struggles without her. She diagnosed him with a upper lip and posterior tongue tie, and helped us connect with the right resources to get it taken care of. [He had an EXTREMELY painful latch, and was not gaining weight.] Now, my son is seven months old and still BF'ing like a champ -- and covered in lovely milkfed fat. Beyond the advice, Elena took the time to come with us to a pediatric dentist free of charge. She also gave us a break due to financial hardship, but I believe the $$ I spent here was some of the best spent money in my entire birth/post-birth experience. I've talked to several other women who had issues like mine and gave up on breastfeeding within a few days. I would have given up, too -- if Elena had not been there to support me, empower me with information, and make it such a priority to figure out the kind of support we needed. I can not recommend her highly enough. read more

We can't say enough positive things about our lactation experience with Elena! She is super-professional, knowledgeable, responsive, accessible. She is so well-informed, educated, and connected to other breastfeeding resources. After almost 2 weeks of painful latches, she diagnosed our son's tongue and lip-tie within two minutes of her first visit (something our pediatrician didn't even look for). Furthermore, she squeezed us in to her schedule last minute because she didn't want me to have to wait 2 or 3 more days at such a critical time. Elena was patient in guiding us through our options, and the pediatrician on her list of recommendations whom we ultimately went with to do the release procedure was wonderful. In the meantime, she gave me some pointers on positioning and latching to help decrease my pain. Over the three weeks following the procedure, I was in touch with Elena via text to check-in, ask follow-up questions, and honestly just to get some moral support and reassurance on what was "normal." She came for a second visit during which she spent time assessing how things were going and offering more tips and advice, especially about decreasing gas and beginning to pump. She answered all of our questions thoroughly and thoughtfully, never making us feel silly or like she was in a hurry. There was so much I didn't know that I didn't know, and I'm sure I would not have been as successful breastfeeding my son if not for Elena. read more

I was very worried about breast feeding my son after hearing stories from my friends about difficulties latching, low milk supply, etc. I saw some reviews of Elena's and contacted her for a pre-birth consultation. My boyfriend and I both thought it was the best money we spent leading up to our son's birth. She gave us some practical tips to maximize success once he was born while still respecting our preferences (i.e., I was having an epidural). Once my son was born, I had trouble getting him to latch while in the hospital. I could only get him to latch with the help of the nurses and it seemed so complicated. I was looking at diagrams in my nursing books about various holds, etc. I was very happy to see Elena the day I came home of the hospital for our pre-arranged appointment. She showed me a natural way to get my son to latch without any diagrams or pillows, etc. She was also came back for a follow up since my son was a sleepy baby and was having trouble gaining weight quickly enough. Elena was always responsive and patient with my emailed questions, even my question expressing dismay that I still had to pump when my son's dad gave him a bottle. (I thought I was getting a complete break!) My son is now 7 months old, and I've been back at work since he was 3 months, and we are still breastfeeding without any supplementation. I don't think I would have had the same success without Elena's help. read more