Nessle

Nessle is dedicated to making new parenthood a more supported experience.

I’m on a mission to make new parenthood a more supported experience through evidence-based guidance and support that’s affirming, user-centric, and judgment-free.

In addition to running Nessle as an online directory and telesupport platform, I’m also a Certified Lactation Counselor and Postpartum Doula helping families transition into life with a new baby in the Richmond, Virginia area—and worldwide via virtual care.

Alongside my work with babies and parents, I am a user experience researcher, which means that I’m wired to be always combing the latest research, seeking to make perinatal health care delivery more efficient and empathetic, and calling B-S on anecdotal evidence and internet trollism.

My style is direct and calming; I’m always thorough—but also careful to help you navigate the facts in a way that makes sense for you and your family. It is my goal to inspire confidence in you, to encourage you as you build your village of support, and to help you find ways to enjoy the experience of early parenthood.

I respect the unique challenges that clients of color face in the health care system and in American society. I am LGBTQIA+ friendly and affirming. In addition to my direct clients, I offer reduced/cost-free CLC services through the Richmond Doula Project for local parents.

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Services

As a Certified Lactation Consultant with the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, I specialize in educating parents on infant feeding in a way that respects their real-life expectations, needs, and challenges. As a CLC, I am a home health care provider, but I am not a licensed medical professional, and so for any anatomical concerns (such as lip/tongue tie assessment, palate concerns, etc.), I will work with you to find a pediatrician, IBCLC (who are RNs in addition to feeding specialists), or Speech Language Pathologist who fits your needs. But for a comprehensive feeding education paired with wise, affirming support, look no further.

I offer in-person services within a 10-mile radius of Henrico, Virginia, as well as virtual services for clients worldwide.

Prenatal Lactation Consultation

In about 1 hour, we will work together to draft your breastfeeding goals, create a plan for preparing to breastfeed, learn about best practices to achieve a strong latch from Day One, and discuss key points such as milk supply, pumping, bottle feeding, positioning, troubleshooting, and more.

VIRTUAL (via Zoom): $60 Schedule Now

IN-PERSON: $75 Contact to Schedule

Lactation Consultation

(About 1 hour). I will begin by asking questions about your pregnancy, birth, and feeding experience so far, and then we will dive into your current challenges and questions in detail. I will provide you with a follow-up feeding plan by e-mail within 24 hours of our session. This service also includes 1 week of text/e-mail support for any follow-up questions you may have.

VIRTUAL (via Zoom) $70 Schedule Now

IN-PERSON: $80 Contact to Schedule

FOLLOW-UPS: $65 virtual / $70 in-person

Lactation Support + Postpartum Care

(Total 2 hours). This is the perfect combination for the parent who could use feeding support and a shower, a healthy snack, infant care guidance, or just a moment to breathe and feel like themselves again. For one hour, I will provide a lactation consultation service, as described above, and then I will put on my postpartum doula hat and spend the other hour helping you feel supported in all of the (non-feeding-related) ways that new parents need care.

IN-PERSON ONLY: $120 Contact to Schedule

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Classes

Breastfeeding in Real Life – Infant Feeding Education Course

In this 2-hour group session, you’ll hear little from me on the composition of milk or the way hormones interact to produce it. Instead, Breastfeeding IRL offers a comprehensive overview that is based on the feeding experiences, questions, and challenges of real parents. We’ll cover: how to prepare for breastfeeding, knowing what to do when the baby(-ies) are born, achieving a comfortable and effective latch, how to know that feeding is on track, common questions, and how partners can best support the lactating parent. We will work to build your list of local resources, and you will leave with a hard-copy quick-reference guide that will be a go-to in the first few weeks. Scholarships available for lower-income parents.

LIVE VIRTUAL CLASS $100 Join Waitlist

IN-PERSON CLASS $120 Join Waitlist

Postpartum in Real Life – The First Seven Days

Following the same “real talk” format of the Breastfeeding in Real Life course, Postpartum IRL offers an overview of baby care and self-care topics, designed to match the way you will actually learn and use that information in the first seven days of your baby’s life. We cover: feeding, diapers, sleep, self-care, baby care, and FAQs beyond day 7, and we leave plenty of time for you to build your list of local resources, review your hard-copy quick-reference guide, and ask any questions you have related to the fourth trimester. Scholarships available for lower-income parents.

LIVE VIRTUAL CLASS $100 Join Waitlist

IN-PERSON CLASS $120 Join Waitlist

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Your consultation may be HSA/FSA-eligible. Call your insurance company and ask if they cover lactation sessions with a Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC). I am out-of-network with all insurance companies and can provide you with a bill of service to submit for reimbursement.

FAQ

1. What’s it like to work with you for a virtual or in-person consultation?

The first step is to make contact! If you feel ready to schedule a virtual consultation, you may use the scheduling links above to drop a call directly onto my calendar. For an in-person consultation, or if you have more questions for me before booking, send me a message using the Contact to Schedule link. I’m always happy to get to know one another by e-mail first to make sure that you comfortable working with me as your CLC. Once we decide to meet, I will ask you to review my 1-page contract, which shares specifics about my COVID policies, payment, make-up sessions, etc. Payments are submitted ahead of our session via the payment page, or upon my arrival via check to Nessle LLC. When our session begins, I will typically start by asking a few questions about your feeding history and Baby’s experience so far, and then I will hear your questions and concerns. I will assist with a feed when Baby shows signs of readiness, and I will leave you with a few key elements to focus on for the next few days. I’ll follow up with an e-mail summary of all that we covered, so don’t worry about taking notes during the session! The info will reach your inbox in just a few hours. I’m yours to contact by text and e-mail for the following week, and I’ll check in as well when a week has passed, just to make sure everything is making sense and going well!

2. What time should I schedule you? I’m never sure when my baby will be hungry or awake…

I never want parents to have to submit themselves to the mental calculus of wake-feed-sleep times when they schedule a consultation with me! Babies are unpredictable, and I am a major proponent of “feeding on cue,” so I am ready to wait with you until we identify signs of a baby who is ready to feed! For a regular lactation consultation, about half of our time together will be spent in conversation, getting a full picture of your feeding experience so far, your pregnancy and birth, and your baby. If Baby is up and raring to feed as soon as I arrive, this can all happen after the feed. If Baby is still asleep when I arrive, we can talk first, waiting until we see feeding cues to proceed to the latch and feeding consultation portion (which makes up about the other 30 minutes of our time together).  I block in-person clients at 90-minute intervals, with a plan to stay for about an hour, so please try to schedule me in a window that you think your baby is likely to eat, but if it doesn’t happen, we will wake Baby at the 60-minute mark after my arrival, so that I can ensure that you at least have a little time to practice what we’ve discussed while I’m still there with you. If the thought of waking at 60-minutes is at all stressful to you, I can recommend my 2-hour doua/CLC option, which includes 1 hour for a lactation consultation, and 1 hour for postpartum doula care, such as holding Baby while you nap or shower, giving siblings extra love, doing the dishes or laundry, walking your dog, or even running errands.

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3. Why should I select you as my CLC?

There are so many wonderful perinatal professionals with whom to build your village of support in the Richmond area–and now worldwide, thanks to the increase in many people’s comfort with virtual care. If you’re looking for a medical approach (think: weighted feeds, gloved hands probing for tongue ties and palate shape…), I have some wonderful IBCLCs to recommend to you, who are also medically-licensed nursing professionals. My approach is less clinical, more like an advisor who joins you in your home, takes a carefully-trained eye to the challenges you’re facing, offers support and suggestions, and shares helpful education and resources with you. I think you’ll find we are a good fit if you’re looking for someone who is heavy on the research, but who knows how to deliver it in a digestible way (I was a teacher in a past life!) Many of my clients also value the fact that I’ve shared their challenges myself–of breastfeeding, postpartum anxiety, and a baby who never stopped crying–back when I became a mother for the first time.