In this bonus episode of Ask the Expert, Annie & Leah interview lactation consultant, doula, and educator Bryna Sampey IBCLC about her policies and safety procedures for in-person consults. Bryna shares with us how she protects her clients and team, as well as the role telehealth plays in caring for families and working with lactation interns. We cover sanitization, personal protective equipment (PPE), and managing all of the complicated emotions that come up when thinking about in-person se...
Jun 26, 2020•29 min
In this bonus episode of Ask the Expert, Annie & Leah interview Rachel O’Brien, IBCLC about blogging, and how she uses it to complement her private practice. Rachel shares her process of creating blog posts and how that has changed over the years. We learn how we can make blogging work for us and our businesses, and why it’s not as intimidating as we might think. Rachel O’Brien is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) who earned her Master of Arts degree in human lact...
Jun 19, 2020•22 min
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is called "Prenatal Visits". Annie and Leah dive into what prenatal visits mean to them and if either of them offers it as a service. Leah shares her motivation tip for us today around not feeling the pressure and guilt of offering every service under the sun as lactation consultants. They talk about how offering prenatal classes in your community could be a great way to market your business and develop rapport with clients befor...
Jun 16, 2020•23 min•Ep. 37
In this bonus episode of Ask the Expert, Annie & Leah interview Rob Scheerbarth of Podcast Rocket about his journey of starting a podcast agency with his wife, and how they help brands share their stories and expand their marketing efforts to a world where your ideal clients are already listening. Rob Scheerbarth is the Creative Director at Podcast Rocket, the podcasting agency he started with his wife. He’s always loved telling stories and that’s why he originally got involved with video ga...
Jun 12, 2020•20 min
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is called "Our Favorite Books for Business, Entrepreneurship & Private Practice". Annie and Leah uncover some of the top books they have been loving related to having a private practice, and other business and entrepreneurial style topics. They talk about which books they go back to time and time again, and which ones have been on their “to-read” list for a while. They also talk about the best and easiest ways to realisticall...
Jun 02, 2020•27 min•Ep. 36
Today Annie’s talking with breastfeeding medicine specialist Dr. Amy Schecter, MD, IBCLC about how we can be coordinating care for in-person services such as frenotomy while working with families virtually. She inspires us to remember that families are the decision makers, and that even virtually we can offer support and information that empowers them to meet their own goals. Dr. Amy Schecter graduated from Brown University with a BS in psychology and MS and medical science and an MD. She began ...
May 29, 2020•23 min
You started out with one business model, but for one reason or another, you’ve had to make a shift. Maybe you’re adding a new service, or maybe you’re pivoting in an entirely different direction. Either way, transition is a challenge, and you need to make sure you’re giving yourself extra love to get it all done. In this bonus episode of Ask the Expert, Leah interviews Brandie Mitchell, RN about her experience of pursuing a career and field she never thought she would see herself in - nurse coac...
May 22, 2020•25 min
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is called "10 Tips for Virtual Visits.” From prepping yourself to get into the right headspace to setting up your space and having the right tools ready to tech tips and best practices, Annie and Leah have ideas for every aspect of your consult workflow to best maximize every second for the benefit of the family on the other end. “You know, where you're adapting to a new situation, they're really hampered right now because of the...
May 19, 2020•29 min•Ep. 35
In this bonus episode of Ask the Expert, Annie & Leah interview Nichelle Clark, Certified Breastfeeding Specialist, about her amazing story of relactation during the pandemic. Nichelle offers valuable insights on how lactation consultants can support families who are providing their babies with expressed milk. As Nichelle puts it, “Pumping is breastfeeding” and Annie & Leah are here for it! Nichelle Clark, CBS is the owner of Sunshine and Rainbows Lactation Services. Nichelle’s journey i...
May 15, 2020•24 min
In this bonus episode of Ask the Expert, Annie & Leah interview Chanelle Andrews CBS about her experience working with a dream team of non-local lactation colleagues to sponsor a virtual screening of Death by Delivery as an advocacy event for Black Maternal Health Week. Spoiler alert: it was a big success. Chanelle Andrews owns and operates her own practice, Hey Mama Lactation and Perinatal Care, while also interning as a breastfeeding peer counselor at WIC. During her experience as a new mo...
May 08, 2020•30 min
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is called "Why We’re Falling in Love with Virtual Visits." They talk about some ideas for moving forward with your private practice, continuing to help families, even if you're doing something you've never done before if this is your first time doing virtual visits. Annie and Leah also talk about how these virtual visits don’t have to be the reaction to what’s going on and something we're forced into doing. We can take this oppor...
May 05, 2020•31 min•Ep. 34
We're stepping outside the lactation world to talk with Amber McCue, owner of Three Boudoir, an in-person photography business that recently went virtual. Amber is the founder of Amber McCue.com where she consults with small business owners on their growth. She is also the co-founder of threeboudoir.com and thevirtualphotoshoot.com. Amber has a talent for overcoming obstacles and helping others do the same. We talked with Amber about her thought process in creating and marketing these new offers...
Apr 29, 2020•25 min
We feel like we're updating our websites every other day as we add new services in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. Since so many of you may be doing the same, we thought we'd rebroadcast our episode all about website creation. As a private practice IBCLC your website is usually the first contact your prospective clients will have with you and your business. Making your website easy to navigate and quickly get the necessary information is essential for a new and tired parent. In this episode, ...
Apr 21, 2020•39 min
We're all taking a second look at our charting and documentation strategies as we pivot to virtual to meet the needs of families at a time when home and office visits have to be limited. Documenting what happens at a lactation consult is super important for so many reasons, but figuring out just want to say and how to say it can be challenging. In this episode, Annie and Leah will explain their approaches to charting and offer you tips and strategies for making this critical task less overwhelmi...
Apr 07, 2020•41 min
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is called "Policies and Procedures for Lactation Private Practice". They talk about its importance, from training new hires to ensuring your own well-being to render the best service possible. Annie and Leah also talk about the most efficient tools they use to share procedures and organize: Loom videos and Annie's Workbook. If you are feeling stress or anxiety about your private practice, this might be the best time to review whi...
Mar 20, 2020•25 min•Ep. 33
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is called "Working with Referral Sources." Having referrals works both ways: it is a priority to service your clients when you are not available and it is also important to cultivate a relationship with others to become a trusted referral for their own business. Annie and Leah share their own personal strategies to gain referral sources, as well as help colleagues to position themselves to become the go-to referral of their area....
Mar 10, 2020•24 min•Ep. 32
This episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is called "Is an Office Right for Your Lactation Practice?" There are several options to move into an office setting as an IBCLC, from setting up in a physician's office to sharing an office space to building your own home office. Of course, there are pros and cons to each office setting. It would be wise to evaluate on a quarterly basis to see which option is best for you or if an office setting is even the best fit for your busine...
Feb 18, 2020•22 min•Ep. 31
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is called "Why IBCLCs Need Therapy." There are so many layers of challenges, from staying ahead at the clinical level to compassion fatigue to conflict with third parties, that self-care has become a primary concern. The good news is that there are many healthy coping mechanisms and strategies, such as leaning on a trusted support team to seeking therapy from mental health professionals. Getting the help we need improves our stre...
Feb 04, 2020•25 min•Ep. 30
In this episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah talk about all those moments when things do not go as planned and how to work around them. From minor issues like calling a baby by the wrong name to more major problems like wrecking your scale during a consult, Annie and Leah share some real life disasters that they had to deal with and, by the end of it, the solutions they came up with right at that moment. They also explore another important life lesson in all this which is l...
Jan 21, 2020•36 min•Ep. 29
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah is all about life hacks. For IBCLC's, being able to do things faster and with less stress translates to a better job done. As an IBCLC, there are several key aspects where life hacks shine—from taking care of your body to managing your business logistics to nurturing your emotional and spiritual needs, there are ways to get around the overwhelm and make sure you tick off everything from that list. "What's the next right move that...
Jan 07, 2020•41 min•Ep. 28
Today's episode of Lactation Business Coaching with Annie and Leah features three interesting and practical questions that were asked by the podcast's listeners. From actionable tips to becoming an IBLC, to learning your audience for the best teaching strategies, to fixing processes when switching to a new EHR, this episode is dedicated to improving your experience as a current and future IBCLC. "I am telling you, it is so hard to move from one (EHR) that you're already using to another one. Tha...
Dec 24, 2019•40 min•Ep. 27
As a lactation consultant, your role in goal-setting is to be a coach, cheering your clients on and pointing them in the direction of the path they want to take. While you have the advantage of experience that they don’t, it would be counterproductive for you to dictate how they should do things and what their goals should be. Be someone who your clients can rely on to provide objective guidance and problem-solving while empowering them to build the family relationship they want. “We are so dedi...
Dec 10, 2019•44 min•Ep. 26
People don’t know what they don’t know about breastfeeding. As a lactation consultant, you have the unique opportunity to educate families, other healthcare providers, and members of your community about the different feeding methods. By increasing awareness and understanding for breastfeeding, chestfeeding, formula feeding, and supplementation, you are making your job easier down the road when people feel more comfortable coming to you for help when they feel they need it. “You’re building a co...
Nov 27, 2019•35 min•Ep. 25
When a family reaches out to you for a home visit to help them with breastfeeding/chestfeeding or other lactation-related concerns, it’s natural to want to take some precautions to protect your own safety in an unfamiliar situation with someone you’ve never met before. Our clients also need to feel safe with us because if they don’t trust us, we can’t help them. You are coming to them at a raw and vulnerable time and you want to come across as someone who is understanding and accepting of them w...
Nov 12, 2019•49 min•Ep. 24
Your goal as a lactation consultant is to provide the best care you can to the families you serve, but far too often, insurance companies make this easier said than done. The Affordable Care Act did some good in stating that lactation services would be covered, but because of the vagueness of the phrasing, there is no clear consensus among insurance companies and providers about what this should look like in reality. Annie and Leah provide some tips for listeners who want some help navigating th...
Oct 29, 2019•38 min•Ep. 23
By diversifying – opening up multiple channels of income within – your lactation consulting business, you are building yourself a sturdy foundation to prepare for lean market times while connecting with more families. This could include accepting both insurance and self-pay clients, writing a course or book, creating a resource or piece of merchandise for others to purchase, or developing continuing education. The sky’s the limit! “We can use our passions for more things.” In this episode, we wi...
Oct 15, 2019•41 min•Ep. 22
Many lactation consultants are used to working solo, and it can be hard to surrender certain aspects of your private practice to others. But if you feel like you’re spending too much time on tasks that take you away from the clinical work you love, it may be time to bring on people who can share the workload. In this episode, Annie and Leah discuss when to recognize when you need help and where you can hire help in your business. “When you’re pushing and trying to do everything yourself, there w...
Oct 01, 2019•48 min•Ep. 21
As a lactation consultant, you’re keeping track of so much. Client care, running a business, keeping up with social media, and staying current with your clinical training can become overwhelming, and sometimes important things slip through the cracks. Leah and Annie share the techniques they use to get organized and increase productivity to align their personal and business priorities to free up mental space and enjoy work and life. “I do think it’s important for us to think about the things tha...
Sep 17, 2019•39 min•Ep. 20
Lactation consultants are especially prone to burnout because our work is so intense. It can be hard to disconnect from your clients and from your business, but it’s essential to recognize the importance of taking regular breaks. In this episode of the Lactation Business Coaching Podcast, Leah and Annie offer practical steps to take when you’re prepping for your vacation. “Burnout affects the families that we’re caring for.” In this episode, we will cover: Burnout is real. It’s just not physical...
Jul 16, 2019•29 min•Ep. 19
Whether you’re in solo private practice or feeling ready to expand into a group practice, making local connections with other IBCLCs and lactation helpers is good for you and good for the families you serve. Why go it alone when community and collaboration can strengthen your skills and combat compassion fatigue? In this episode of the Lactation Business Coaching podcast, Annie & Leah share three ways you can grow your local connections and create more opportunities for all of you. From info...
Jul 02, 2019•29 min•Ep. 18
