The best time to book an antenatal lactation consult is in the third trimester, usually somewhere between 30 and 36 weeks. Early enough that you are not uncomfortable and distracted, late enough that the information is still fresh when your baby arrives.
That said, there is no wrong time. If you are earlier along and want a plan in place, or you are 38 weeks and suddenly thinking about feeding for the first time, the session still does its job.
What does the 60-minute session cover?
We start with feeding fundamentals. What the first hours and days actually look like, how often a newborn feeds, and what normal looks like so you can recognise it when you see it.
Then the physiology of milk production. How supply is established, what your body is doing in those first days, and why the early pattern of feeding matters so much. Knowing why it works makes the advice easier to remember than a list of rules.
We cover the common early challenges, so they are not a shock when they turn up. And we go through antenatal expressing: what it is, how to do it safely, how to store your milk, and when it is useful.
It runs for 60 minutes, in your home or online, and partners are welcome. Two people who know what is happening is better than one.
Who especially benefits from booking antenatally?
Some situations warrant a plan tailored to you rather than general preparation. If any of these apply, book earlier rather than later:
- Diabetes, including gestational diabetes.
- PCOS.
- Previous breast surgery.
- Flat or inverted nipples.
- A history of low supply with a previous baby.
None of these mean feeding will not work. They mean the first few days benefit from a specific plan, made calmly in advance, instead of being worked out in a hospital room while you are exhausted. That is what an antenatal session is for.
What if you fed a baby before?
Second and third babies are their own thing. If your last feeding experience was hard, or ended sooner than you wanted, an antenatal session is a chance to work out what happened and what could be different. You are not starting from zero, but you are not repeating the same run either.
Does booking now hold a spot for after the birth?
Yes. Booking antenatally also reserves a postnatal visit, which is a useful part of booking early. When your baby arrives, you are not making an enquiry and waiting. You are already in the diary.
That matters most in the fortnight after birth, which is when feeding questions are most urgent and you have the least energy to sort them out.
Home or online?
Both work. In person is nice if you would like to talk through your actual space, and it is easier for partners to stay in the room. Online is easier late in pregnancy when getting off the couch is a project.
The content is the same either way, and so is the price. An antenatal consult is $220 for the initial session and $180 for a follow up. The full price list is in the article on what a lactation consultant costs, and private health cover is worth checking before you book.
What happens after the baby comes?
Most families follow the antenatal session with a home visit in the first weeks. You can read what happens during a home visit so you know what that looks like.
If you are pregnant now and wondering whether it is too early or too late to book, it almost certainly is not. Get in touch and we will find a time.