Throughout my pregnancy I've been wanting to visit a lactation consultant. Unfortunately, when I contacted my insurance provider a few months ago, there was literally ONE lactation consultant that they would cover. How is it possible in the city of Chicago and it's environs that BCBSIL will provide coverage for a single lactation specialist? Somehow I got a tip about Melissa, for which I'm so thankful. She works with an organization called The Lactation Network and through them I am able to get BCBS to cover appointments with her. She offers prenatal appointments, which is what I particularly wanted though I plan to visit her after birth as well. Luckily, with the Lactation Network, I believe I can visit her six times with insurance coverage. I can sometimes beat myself up about things... and that is why I wanted to see a lactation consultant before breastfeeding. I wanted to know what to expect, and what "normal" looks like for breastfeeding, so that I knew what to look out for and to not feel like a failure. Melissa walked me through what early days of breastfeeding look like. For example, I didn't realize that in the first few days babies only eat about a teaspoon of colostrum per feeding (I know I would have thought this was too little, and a problem on my end!). She also explained that about four ounces per feeding is about all a baby will need at any point, and that they work up to eating that much over the first few weeks of life. She showed me the basics of hand expressing, and gave me supplies to express before I enter the hospital if I'd like to take it with me there just in case there's any difficulties breastfeeding whilst there. We also went over infant hunger cues, which was incredibly helpful, and a couple of good positions for feeding. We discussed options for breast pumps, which was very helpful because I didn't really have any idea what I should be looking for in one and now I think I know which one I'll get. She helped me determine what size flange is going to be best for me (I would have been way off; it's smaller than what usually comes with it and I wouldn't have known the difference). She also explained some of the pros and cons of different bottles and nipples and how the shape and flow of different ones might impact nipple preference. She also shared that the pacifier you choose could impact success in breastfeeding to some extent, as the orthodontic ones that are a bit more flat cause the baby to change the shape and motion of their mouth which can make breastfeeding difficult and painful. Very helpful since I made adjustments to my registry when I got home to account for what I learned. She has lots of props to aid in practice of technique, infant holding, and so on. She also works with a milk bank and can help set you up to donate excess milk or, if you need to purchase, she can do that too. Her office is located in a pretty boring, nondescript building that looks like a banquet hall so don't miss it. Her space is warm and lovely, though! When you enter the parking lot you'll go to the back and enter there rather than from the front, where there's little parking (plenty in back, though). I cannot say enough good things about my experience with Melissa. I left my appointment thinking about how I could become a lactation consultant, which is something I did consider when I was an undergraduate but didn't pursue. But the opportunity to be of help to women who need it is a calling that I'm glad Melissa answered. She has some Saturday appointments as well which I appreciate so much. I would HIGHLY encourage any soon-to-be breast/chestfeeding parent to visit her, even if your insurance won't cover it; having been there, I know now that it would have been worth it paying out of pocket to meet with her because it was so valuable. Prenatal consultation will help give you the confidence you need to do something that no one teaches you, but you're expected to just naturally know how to do. You might be saved from lots of tears, fussy baby, or simply learn things that will make the whole experience of breastfeeding that second-nature thing that so many seem to think it is. #1400 read more

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Melissa is so good at what she does! She helped my 7 week old daughter post tongue, buccal, and lip tie release with weekly bodywork. My daughter was so stiff and colicky and she literally helped change my baby into a smiley happy baby. She was a very bright light in a very dark time in my life. I highly recommend her for all feeding issues and bodywork for your little one! read more

I honestly wouldn't be where I am with my baby latching without Melissa! She is a listening ear for the first time mom who really didn't know what she was doing when my little one wouldn't latch without a shield. By the end of our time together, we were latching without the shield and my baby had much less tension in his body. The lactation nurses in the hospital have nothing on her! She is knowledgeable, kind, and really cares about your journey as a whole. You always feel like you have her full attention when in your session and her follow up is the best as well with tools and resources to use at home to continue the progressions. read more

Melissa was extremely helpful! I am so glad I had an appointment scheduled. She was able to provide helpful tips to get a better latch, help with engorgement and various positions. She also gave us exercises to do to help relieve tension in the babies mouth! I would definitely recommend Melissa to any breastfeeding moms! read more

Melissa is absolutely wonderful! She is extremely knowledgeable and helped me and my newborn daughter immensely with her tongue/lip ties. She knew exactly what to look for and walked me through every step of the way. She has been a huge support and has been accessible to me through this entire process. She is a baby whisperer, teacher, therapist, guru on all things baby and breastfeeding all in one and I couldn't be more thankful that I found her! I will be using her for every baby going forward! Thank you Melissa for your support and guidance, I can't tell you how much is means to me during this time with my baby! read more

Motherhood is hard enough but when your little one has trouble breastfeeding, it makes it even tougher. After many tears, my husband found Melissa Schiff of Makana Breastfeeding through research and I am beyond thankful he did. Melissa is genuine and extremely knowledgeable. She offered her experience and tips/tricks on how to proceed on our journey. Not only that but she also took the time to listen to my concerns and validated what I was experiencing. After applying all we learned from Melissa, happy to report baby is doing wonderfully and thriving! I would highly recommend her to anyone in need of breastfeeding support. read more

I don't have enough stars to give Melissa and her company!! I had a pretty terrible experience in the hospital with the LC I worked with, and was leery to have another one come into my home and possible give me the same advice I had already received In the same way I received it. But from the moment I met Melissa it was different! her presence is so calming and she listened to me ramble on through tears without judgement about my experience. She was able to provide me with some great tips and calm my fears about not providing enough for my daughter. My goal was not to BF 100% of the time as I have low supply, but to know that if I needed to I could feed my daughter and do so with less pain and anxiety. Her follow up is outstanding and she is so easy to reach. she created a Care plan specific to me and my life and family and everything felt realistic and achievable. I cannot say enough, you will not regret getting the extra help and will enjoy the experience on top of that! thank you Melissa! read more

Melissa is truly the best of the best and I cannot recommend her/Makana Breastfeeding enough. Our newborn's tongue, lip, and both cheek ties created a lot of tension in her body as well as lactation issues. We met with Melissa prior to having the ties released and have followed-up multiple times since. We really have a brand new baby since working with her. Our little girl can move her head in ways she refused to before, her digestive issues have eased, her hips are no longer wound up, and she feeds properly now! Not only is Melissa incredibly knowledgeable, but one of the kindest and most pleasant people I could ever ask for to work with my baby girl. She knows our baby's limits and comforts her when she starts to even get close to them, she eases us as parents and answers our plethora of questions, and she has created such a peaceful, calming place to do what she does best! Her practice is full of toys and distractions to make the experience as pleasant for your baby as it is for you as a parent. Thank you, Melissa, for being an awesome human and helping our baby girl so much! Everyone would benefit from brining their baby here! read more

Melissa was so helpful in addressing my breastfeeding issues and reassuring me that I was on the right path. She listened to my struggles and thoughtfully developed an action plan with me. With her guidance, breastfeeding transformed from a completely painful to a powerfully positive experience. read more

I had a wonderful experience with Melissa! I went to see her after my three-month-old suddenly began refusing to nurse and she gave me a lot of insight and strategies to help bring my breastfeeding journey back on track. Melissa was really reassuring, understanding, patient, and gentle. I loved that she also helped me with pumping and finding the right flange size and even went so far as to find and send me the shopping links for the appropriate flanges. She really cares about the whole process of breastfeeding and was brilliantly insightful. I would recommend seeing Melissa if you have questions, or problems or just want to know how to help improve your nursing/pumping. Even if you're not having any problems I have no doubt an appointment with Melissa would be well worth it! read more

Melissa was great to work with in regards to a painful latch. She was the first lactation consultant to listen to our concerns rather than just talk over us. She provided helpful tips and tricks for latching, how to use my pump, and tummy time. My husband and I both left the appointment beyond pleased and thankful for the help! I highly recommend Melissa for any breastfeeding concerns/questions!!! read more

Melissa was excellent! She was very thorough in her assessment and answered all of my questions thoroughly. I felt very heard and validated. She took her time with the assessments and we spent two hours in her office! In addition, she let me borrow her scale to do weighted feeds at home which saved me the cost of renting one! I'm so appreciative of her services and will be working with her again in the future. Highly recommend! read more

Melissa was so helpful with all my breastfeeding concerns! She made me feel very normal with all my breastfeeding difficulties, and I am so grateful she came in person on a home visit during such a difficult time! I learned so much about Tummy time and body work, the information was invaluable. read more

Great overall experience. Melissa was super professional, knowledgeable and helpful, very encouraging. She came out to the house and set up right in our living room. Proper covid precautions were taken. It was a big overall help. Followed up at her office which also was a comfortable environment. So glad I took the step to make the call! read more

She was amazing! Gave me several techniques to improve my milk supply and didn't judge me when we discussed my breastfeeding plan. She was open to discuss my ideas and gave me several of her own. She also gave us some tummy techniques to help my baby loosen up and improve his overall health. Amazing person, highly recommend. read more

Melissa is incredibly gifted! Breastfeeding is DIFFICULT, so it is SUPER helpful to have an expert come and provide advice and insight. Breastfeeding started out well for me, but became challenging after a few weeks. My baby was crying and becoming fussy after just a few minutes. I booked an appointment with Melissa and she identified the problem so quickly. She gave me practical ways to fix it and we saw improvement right away. Melissa is kind and sweet with babies, and understanding and professional with moms. She is worth EVERY penny. You will receive help and peace of mind, which is always worth it, especially when it comes to caring for your little one. read more

Melissa is a true gift for Mother's needing lactation consulting, like myself. My son was born several months early, and was in the NICU for a month. As a result of being so young, the feeding tubes, and generic hospital bottles, we really struggled to introduce breastfeeding. It was emotionally challenging and I wasnt sure if we'd ever be able to nurse. Melissa helped so much! She was not only a valuable resource herself, but she also provided ample information, & exercises, giving me a 101 intro to breastfeeding and all long distance! Im amazed she was able to even help me troubleshoot latch issues, crying concerns etc just over the phone! My son will now both nurse at the breast, and use various bottles regardless of nipple type. I am so extremely grateful to Melissa for all her help!!! read more

I highly recommend Melissa Schiff of Makana Breastfeeding! I heard about her in my La Leche League group when sharing some of my daughter's feeding concerns. She came to my home which was very convenient and comfortable. I appreciated her compassionate care and holistic approach. She did a physical and oral exam and identified the presence of a lip and tongue tie. Additionally, she shared referrals to other specialists for us to determine how to move forward with treatment, and she followed up with a thorough report and several helpful resources to address various challenges. Melissa is responsive, detailed, and easy to work with. I fully intend to consult with her for any future needs, and I would recommend her to anyone in need of breastfeeding support. read more

Melissa is fantastic! She made me feel so comfortable during our session for my daughter. Having been unsuccessful breastfeeding with my first born, I had a lot of concerns about latch, positioning, supply, going back to work, pumping, nipple confusion, etc.. Melissa took the time to answer all of my questions thoroughly. She provided links to articles and videos to help me better understand what we discussed. Melissa also made me feel completely supported after the session ended by letting me know I could reach her by phone or email with quick questions or concerns. She did all she could to make sure I had the resources I needed to be successful breastfeeding. My daughter has now been exclusively breastfed for 6 weeks thanks to Melissa's help. I highly recommend working with her. Even better, her services are covered by most insurance plans through Lactation Network and Ashland Health meaning you pay nothing out of pocket which is so different from most lactation consultants who make you pay up front and file your own claim with your insurance company. read more

Melissa is AMAZING! Not only was she knowledgeable and thorough during our consult, but she was extremely accessible and helpful after the fact. She really takes her time to evaluate the individual needs of both you and baby and offered advice and recommendations on much more than just breastfeeding. You can tell she loves her job and helping mamas to feel supported. Thank you, Melissa! read more

Melissa is incredible. I read several books, took a class on breastfeeding, and had lactation consultants help me at the hospital but none were as helpful, patient, kind or knowledgable as Melissa. She goes above and beyond, offering support, advice, and listening no matter how silly your questions are. I had had some serious health issues after my delivery and was desperate to get breastfeeding established as I struggled to keep my own body from shutting down. Melissa was patient and listened to everything I had to say. She asked excellent questions and, rather than overwhelming me with a million solutions to our problem, she suggested just a few at a time to try and was careful to explain why each one would work and how. With all of the other factors we had going against us, we would have given up on breastfeeding long ago if it hadn't been for Melissa. I can't thank her enough for her continued support. read more