Forms first : Once we agree on the date and time of the visit, I will send you a consent and an intake form. It is important that you fill them in at least 24h before we meet, so we can spend more time talking during the consultation, and less on the paperwork !

On the day of the visit :
Please have your phone nearby in case I need assistance finding your house or getting through the reception. I will be on the road to you leaving Arabian Ranches 2 well before your appointment slot. We all know how Dubai traffic is nowadays… I will do my very best to be on time, but if I am more than 15 min off schedule I will call or text you.

All pets must be completely contained during our entire time together​. I am a huge animal lover, but pets are surprisingly unpredictable with a stranger around a new member of their pack. The most well trained, calm, old, happy and friendly pet can behave in an oddly protective manner if they misjudge anyone getting too close to their baby.

Try to eat something before I arrive, or have snacks/drinks nearby for yourself (very important for breastfeeding mums =)). And please don’t make your baby wait to eat!
For baby to be interested in nursing while I am here, it is ideal to nurse him/her about 1-1.5h prior to the consultation, but breastfed babies can’t tell time! If baby is hungry and frantic, go ahead and feed him/her a little ! We’ll make it work!

Daddy is of course welcome to attend the appointment. His questions are important and his participation is needed in baby’s care. If another adult (nanny or grandparent perhaps) is closely involved in your baby’s care, it is up to you to have them attend the consultation. If modesty is a concern do consider that a breastfeeding session will likely be observed though.

What Not to Worry About (Seriously!)
I have been a new mum too, so I get it. Don’t worry about showering, putting on nice clothes, or cleaning your house! I care about you and your baby, not appearances. No need to “excuse the mess.”

It is wise for the assessment part of the visit to be in the place where you normally breastfeed. Good lighting is needed to assess latch, and to do a proper oral assessment.

Upon my arrival I will instal my scale, I will need a flat and clean space for it. Then you can expect me to ask where I could wash my hands. I may do so quite a few times throughout the consult.

We will start by chatting unless baby is ready to nurse as soon as I arrive! We will review the health and medical history (yours and baby's) including birth and labor; as well as your nursing concerns. Everything you filled in the intake form will be discussed, and I might ask more information if needed.

I will observe you and your baby where you usually nurse. I need to see what you have been doing so far in order to assess the situation correctly and suggest improvement if needed.

I may need to take a close look at your breasts and nipples before and after a feed. Besides evaluation of potential nipple damage, this will give a great indication on baby's latch and where the nipple is placed in baby's mouth while he/she is nursing.
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I will put on latex-free gloves and do a manual assessment of your baby’s mouth ONLY if I see the need to assess baby’s oral anatomy and function more closely.

I will weigh your baby before and after the feeding and evaluate milk transfer. I use a pediatric scale with the highest resolution (2 grams).

Then there will be plenty of time for all your questions!

Within 24h, you will receive a written, personalized care plan.
After the consult, you will get two weeks of Whatsapp messages support. Please use it! If I don’t hear from you, I assume everything is going well. I truly care and want to do everything I can to help you feel supported and successful as a parent.

I aim to reply to all messages within a couple of hours, but definitely within the day they are sent.  I answer messages between the hours of 8am-8pm, 7 days a week. Feel free to send me videos, pictures and questions related to what we discussed during our appointment, and I will do the same if needed.

Your breastfeeding struggles may be resolved in 1-2 visits but more complex cases may take more for continued support.

For a bottle refusal consult, baby shouldn’t be hungry, but he/she should be willing to have a snack while I am there.
Please have on hand 60ml of pumped milk or formula and all the bottles you have already tried.

IBCLC’s are not doctors and we don’t diagnose.
Our scope of practice is very clear on this. As an IBCLC, I can assess your baby’s oral anatomy for structure and observe function on and off the breast and bottle. I make observations like “I am seeing what looks like a tight tongue frenulum” and then I will show you exactly what I am seeing but I do not diagnose. I will share appropriate referrals and resources to help you and your baby.

Payment is due at the end of the visit. It can either be by cash (please have change) or by bank transfer.

If you wish to do a bank transfer, please let me know and I will send you my account details ahead of time, so that you can register the contact on your app (as there usually is a waiting time between registering the contact and sending money).