Lisy is an incredibly smart and compassionate Lactation consultant who made a huge difference in my…read morebreastfeeding journey. With her help, we resolved Latch issues, improved milk supply, and most importantly--I gained the confidence I needed to successfuLLy breastfeed! From the very first session, she Listened so carefuLLy and gave thoughtfuL, practicaL advice that actuaLLy worked! She has such a deep understanding of Lactation and newborn behavior--it was Like she knew exactly what my baby and I needed before we even said it. Her calm, confident approach put me at ease right away, and I Left every appointment feeling more empowered and informed! Thanks to Lisy, I overcame chaLLenges I never thought I could, and I'm now breastfeeding with confidence and joy, 7 months and counting. Every session felt like a calm, encouraging space to ask questions and Learn without judgment. If you're Looking for someone knowledgeable, patient, and truly cares/dedicated to your success, Lisy is the one. I didn't think I would make it past three weeks of breastfeeding, but here I am 7 months Later absolutely Loving it and no intent to stop anytime soon. I can't thank her enough!

Thanks Lisy for the expertise and help this summer!…read more Tips as simple as the type of nursing pillow to use (the My Brest Friend has a belt buckle feature that helps you keep the pillow in place and baby close at all times), using a U grip vs C one for optimal latching, and to aim for 20 minutes per feeding (you want to get the fatty hindmilk to the baby vs the less fatty foremilk that's produced first) were key for me! Also, I learned the most supportive way to pick up a baby: gripping her under the armpits with fingertips supporting the back of the neck! I visited 4x and each time was glad I made the appointment to check in and consult with Lisy. I highly recommend her lactation consulting services, in particular because she's patient, warm, and conveniently located in the north suburbs.

can't say enough positive things about Melissa Block. I had…read moremy son at 37weeks gestation. he was growth restricted and had a tongue tie. Melissa met with us literally a few hours after his birth and really helped me figure things out and get into a routine. when I later had problems with an oversupply/fast letdown preventing my baby from latching at all- forcing us to switch to bottles- I texted her at night and she responded within the hour with assistance. she then met with me first thing in the morning and literally within the call he was back to latching at the breast with no issues! haven't needed to use a bottle since. I would HIGHLY recommend Melissa, she really knows what she's doing, makes herself available for you, and is so positive and reassuring about the process. many thanks to her!!

I debated whether or not to share this experience, but ultimately decided to do so in hopes it…read morehelps other mothers--whether you're new, experienced, or somewhere in between--navigate their breastfeeding support options. I contacted this practice to request an **in-person** consultation. The first question I was asked was not my name or concern, but rather, "What insurance do you have?" I was then informed that **all initial consultations are conducted virtually**. Despite expressing multiple times that I was only comfortable with an in-person visit, I was repeatedly told to proceed with scheduling a virtual appointment and to check with my insurance about coverage. After setting an appointment, I again inquired about the earliest possible date for an in-person follow-up. I was told that most clients don't need in-person visits and that one might be possible the following week if they decided it was warranted. I felt dismissed and somewhat embarrassed for asking--despite my request being both personal and reasonable. For many, myself included, the idea of being partially undressed on a Zoom call is deeply uncomfortable, especially when discussing something as sensitive as breastfeeding. I also had concerns that a virtual visit might rely too heavily on generic recommendations, many of which I've already tried. Lactation consultants need to be present to help the mom maneuver their breast. This is supposed to be (to the extent a mother wants this) a hands-on experience. When I decided to cancel my appointment, **only then** was I offered an in-person visit the very next day. At that point, I no longer felt confident that this provider would prioritize or listen to my individual needs, so I chose to seek care elsewhere. While I do believe this practice could be a helpful resource for others, my personal experience fell short. From the initial focus on insurance over care, to the lack of flexibility or empathy regarding my comfort and preferences, it became clear this was not the right fit for me. I'm seeking support from someone who genuinely wants to help me meet my breastfeeding goals--not someone who sees me as just another appointment on the schedule.

If you are debating a doula, debate no more! Hillary Scharmann is exactly what every pregnant mama…read moreand expectant papa need. She'll walk you through the what to expect and prep you for delivery. She'll answer your questions, and if she can't, she'll find someone that can. Her commitment to supporting your family is 100%. We elected to deliver our baby boy in a hospital. While we had several concerns about being in a big medical space, Hillary put us at ease. She listened to all of our concerns. She took note of our fears and comforts. She was honest about the realities of delivery and the time leading up to it. While we feared induction and a long labor, she prepared us for what to advocate for to make it as natural and comfortable as possible (and thank goodness she did). Labor was no piece of cake. It was 36 hours from induction that our little guy arrived. Hillary spent 25 hours of that time with us. She was an advocate for us, asking all the questions we couldn't think to ask. She remembered those things that we said provide comfort to us and transformed the room to make it what we needed. She helped ease the pain with massages and encouraging movement (and that awesome peanut ball). She assisted in delivering the best part of our lives! We couldn't imagine those last 25 hours without her! Her services don't end when your baby arrives. She provides invaluable postpartum support. She is there when you are most vulnerable. She arrives to your house with treats and does your dishes, while she listens to the new parent woes. She makes you feel that you are normal. Normal is something we yearned for for those first six weeks. Birth is an incredible adventure, and no one person should experience it alone. If you are wavering on hiring a doula, do it no longer. Hire one! If you want the best, professional, personable, caring one out there hire Hillary Scharmann at HEART Birth & Baby.

One of the best decisions my husband and I made during pregnancy was to hire Hillary as our doula…read more As this was a first pregnancy and our first child, my husband and I were understandably nervous as to what the birth experience would entail. We wanted to ensure a calm, healthy and intervention-free delivery and Hillary helped us achieve that. The night I went into labor, Hillary arrived at the hospital a few minutes after my husband and I did and sprung into action immediately. She knew I wanted the environment to be calm and she somehow managed to create a spa-like atmosphere in the middle of a hospital. She dimmed the lights, turned on a relaxing playlist, provided aromatherapy, fluids and - most importantly - a heating pad for my aching back. She supported, encouraged and talked us through labor and because of her quick thinking, helped us avoid a C-section. I truly believe I was able to deliver my son the way I wanted because of her ability to work with my midwives. Hillary also provided us with the most precious gift - photos and videos of us meeting our son for the first time. I had no idea she was filming the first moment they laid my son on my chest and discovered it days later at home. I still cry every single time I watch the video. Most importantly, Hillary was a huge support after we took our baby home. I was beginning to show signs of postpartum anxiety and so my husband reached out to Hillary who, in turn, called me right away. She provided me with a lactation consultant (breastfeeding was the source of my anxiety) and a hotline for PPA help. Because of her quick action and support, I was able to very quickly overcome my breastfeeding challenges and my anxiety disappeared days later. If it had not been for her, I feel as though I really would have struggled through those first weeks. I cannot praise or thank Hillary enough for being there for us during this special time. I would wholeheartedly recommend her - I can't imagine delivering any future babies without her by my side.

Sarah was so amazing! She came to my home a week after I delivered and explained EVERYTHING to me…read more It's frustrating and infuriating as a new mom to find out that no one is there to teach you how to do any of this! So when I found Sarah through the lactation network, she was a god send! Sarah not only taught me everything but followed up with me, checked in on me AND answered my crazy texts when I forgot my pump at home and was dealing with engorged breasts at work! I highly recommend her services! Thank you Sarah!!

I could not be more grateful to have had Sarah as my lactation consultant - she is simply…read moreexcellence and what she does and made me "feel home" everytime we met. Her personalized care was essential on my feeding and motherhood journey - in each and every session I had the opportunity to learn something new that would enhance my confidence, knowledge and my daughters health. It was amazing having her support and I miss our sessions - thank you Sarah for everything! Carla Tovar - Chicago IL

We worked with Victoria and Heather as first time parents. We can't imagine our birth without…read morethem--and we don't want to! We started with them around 36 weeks and they immediately provided immense support and great service. (I only wish we found them sooner!) When we first interviewed Victoria to see if we'd like to go with 312Doulas I loved that they utilized the Evidence Based Birth resources, had an educational component built into the price, and saw Victoria as someone that would support the type of birth I wanted with absolutely no agenda, just a depth of experience, knowledge, and care. Immediately after ending the Zoom call we emailed that we'd love to work with her and it was truly the best decision we made around labor/birth. We felt the same way about Heather when meeting with her! Working with them leading up to the birth made my husband and I feel so much more confident and empowered going into such a new and intense experience. We both became much more equipped advocates for ourselves and felt like true partners with the doulas and our medical team instead of just participants in the birth. When it was time to give birth Victoria was an immense physical, mental, and emotional support during labor. One of the nurses recognized Victoria from her + Heather's work with other patients and said they're the best, even adding when fellow nurses want to work with doulas they go with 312Doulas. Heather joined us at the hospital when it was time to push. Heather was an amazing support--suggesting new positions and techniques to help me progress. This was especially important when the doctors started bringing up more intense interventions like forceps, Vaccuum or C-section despite baby and me coping well. Only Heather gave actionable ideas that led to progress. I credit the evidence-based knowledge 312Doulas gave us + Heather's active support with why we were able to have the birth we wanted and everyone stayed safe and healthy. We can't thank them enough and are so grateful for our time together. I could go on and on, but suffice it so say we HIGHLY recommend them to any expecting parents.

I am so grateful to have had 312 Doulas be a part of 2 of my 3 births. The knowledge and resources…read morethey possess are priceless. I leaned on them through every step of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. They were a huge asset to our birth team and even helped my husband feel more confident in supporting my labor. We can't say enough good things about them!

My family recently reached out to Lactation Partners seeking urgent breastfeeding support for our…read morenewborn twins during a difficult postpartum moment. We live on the South Side of Chicago, near South loop and were hoping to schedule a consultation. The response we received stated that they "do not travel to our location in any case" and that their schedule was booked for the next two weeks. While I understand providers have service limits and busy schedules, the wording felt abrupt and lacking empathy given the circumstances. It was also confusing because Yelp's service map suggests coverage across Chicago, which gave us the impression South Side families were included. "South Chicago" is a large and diverse part of the city with many middle-class families simply looking for postpartum support. I'm sharing this so other South Side parents know this provider may not service this area when urgently searching for help. I hope the practice considers clarifying their service area and responding to families with more compassion during vulnerable moments.

If I could give Lactation Partners and Joan Kessler 10/10 stars, I would!!!…read more There are so many aspects of postpartum that are new, overwhelming and intense, all at the same time. Joan is an incredible expert in her field, kind, precise, beyond helpful and the ultimate professional. From the moment she walked in to our home, she swiftly addressed our concerns/hurdles and assessed the situation with swift precision and a targeted plan, allowing us to support our baby in the best and most immediate way possible. She continued to follow up with detailed phone conversations and tips to support our family and came for a follow up visit to ensure we were on the right track. I feel very lucky and grateful to have had the chance to work with Joan - she is truly a phenomenal resource who cares, is dedicated to those the works with and really knows her stuff in and out. :)

I cannot recommend Dr. Rubin's fourth trimester package more. As a second-time mom, I knew where…read moreother providers had fallen short during my first postpartum experience and she filled all the gaps and settled all the confusion. She is so knowledgeable, dedicated, and full of solutions. She is truly supportive and is able to offer an approach from a full-picture perspective as your lactation specialist and your baby's doctor. Care at home during this special time is invaluable and Dr. Rubin makes it so easy to welcome her into this sacred space.

Dr. Rubin's postpartum fourth trimester package was amazing. I'm a second-time mom dealing with…read morebirth/postpartum trauma from my firstborn experience. Dr. Rubin was the sweetest, so supportive, and truly took her time to understand me, my history, and provide the best care for my second child. She helped calm my anxiety around breastfeeding and provide better mental health support during this delicate time. It was such a huge bonus to have her be able to do all the baby checkups right in my home too! No leaving during the delicate healing time, all while knowing your baby is getting the best care available. Dr. Rubin, I can't thank you enough for such amazing care, compassion, and support!

I was connected with Jaudon since my baby was 2 weeks old and have continued to use her lactation…read moreconsulting services. She is easy to get in contact with and has flexibility to meet regularly. I really appreciated her coming over regularly to help us with our baby's slow weight gain and she was also able to coordinate with our pediatrician. I was adamant about wanting to BF and I'm glad she didn't try to push formula but encouraged triple feeding for some time, which is tough on a new mom but I think it did help. We ultimately decided to supplement with formula while working to improve my supply and she was supportive along the way. I plan to continue using her services as we introduce solids and start to wean baby off breast milk. Highly recommend setting up consultation with Jaudon!

Would highly recommend Jaudon for her lactation consulting. Insurance takes care of the billing,…read moreshe just charges $40 for in-home visits, which was something I really wanted. I like how she met with me before I delivered my child, to manage expectations and suggest what we should prioritize before the baby arrived. It was reassuring to have someone already set up once I brought my baby home. Once home, we did have some challenges which Jaudon was able to diagnosis and suggest action plans. She's well connected in the community, including with specialists. She's quick to respond to email and I like the option for virtual or in-person meetings as needed. She recognizes there are different stages of breast feeding, from a newborn to returning to work.

Juli is absolutely amazing and exceeded all my expectations. We saw Juli for an in-home visit,…read moreabout 2 weeks after my baby was born. At this point, we were triple feeding and I was having trouble getting my baby to latch, building my breast milk supply, and also with bottle feeding. Juli was firing on all cylinders! She is sharp, smart, and efficient. She helped me develop a realistic goal and care plan, based on my priorities. She was sensitive, informative, and caring. We got so much out of the initial visit. Our second and subsequent visits were just as fruitful. Juli has so much knowledge and experience. She practices evidence-based medicine. Her advice was so valuable. I felt better after every visit. I've interacted with other great lactation consultants, but still feel like Juli is a true gem and feel so lucky to have been able to work with her!

I truly believe I owe the success of my second breastfeeding journey to Juli! From our first visit…read morewith my boy as a newborn, she helped me ditch the nipple shields and immediately get a more comfortable, deeper latch with some simple positioning changes. She also gave me invaluable tips on battling sleepy eaters, cluster feeding, and more. I was immediately more confident, after a stressful and unsuccessful bf journey with my first. She then came back to help me formulate a pumping plan for my return to work. Again, she gave me so much confidence going into that new phase and really made me feel like this pumping journey didn't need to be as stressful as the first time around. Since then, she's supported me in questions, came back for a weighted feed to get an idea of how much baby was taking after my supply had seemingly dropped, and continued to just instill confidence. She really brings a low stress vibe to her appointments which I REALLY appreciate! I pass her name on to any mom, first timer or not, as a must have postpartum support!

MidwivesCare has top quality healthcare services and continued educational training and support for…read moretheir team of midwives and staff. Christian community highly recommend them with well women healthcare homebirth practice

I've had 2 homebirths with Midwives Care LLC. They have been a tremendous help in my prenatal and…read morepost partum Care. They really cared about my best interest with each pregnancy. I really researched my decision before going with Midwives Care. Even though there were a few Midwives in the practice....each one was considerate to my birth experience of choice. I never worried who would be at my birth. It really just felt like an extension of family.... which I think home birth kind of is. We are not only grateful for the customer service but the knowledge base as well. We really felt so safe and confident with our choice and haven't looked back. We are a customer until the last baby​