FEEL CONFIDENT IN YOUR FAMILY’S JOURNEY
What is a patient advocate? Why do you need one?
Humboldt County is known to be a healthcare desert. It is exceedingly common for folks to need to travel long distances and coordinate with multiple healthcare providers to obtain the services that they need.
Patient advocates help you navigate the healthcare system. We work with insurance companies to secure out-of-network coverage. We go to doctor’s appointments and hospital visits with you. We facilitate records requests and coordination of care. We teach you how to be your own advocate. Our goal is to empower you to take charge of your own healthcare.
Not sure if your care can be benefitted by a patient advocate? Reach out and ask! We will set you up with a free consultation to see if it’s a good fit.
Not local to Humboldt County? No problem! We provide virtual patient advocacy services for people all over the United States.
I partner with Lauren Wheeler BCPA, MD of Lost Coast Patient Advocacy for these services. Work with us for your patient advocacy needs- we make a solid team!
Medical Advocacy
You’re pregnant, congratulations! Whether this is your first baby or not, I would love to spend some time educating you and your birth support team about your pregnancy, postpartum, and childbirth! Being educated allows you to be more prepared and a better advocate for yourself. Knowledge is power- you won’t regret being informed!
I am currently offering private and group classes. My classes discuss situations that can pertain to hospital birth, home birth, and birth center birth. I tailor what I teach based on each cohort! I recommend taking the class between 26-34 weeks of pregnancy.
Childbirth Education
You had your baby, hooray! Now it’s time to rest, recover, and soak up time with your little one. Birth is hard work and it takes an absolute minimum of 6 weeks to recover from a vaginal birth and a minimum of 12 weeks from a cesarean birth. Many sources say it takes 1-2 years to fully recover and I concur with this. Placenta encapsulation is the process of turning your placenta into pills for you to consume. This can help with your postpartum recovery including replenishing iron and other mineral levels from blood loss, mood regulation and support, increased energy levels, and even lactation support.
Placenta Encapsulation
Lactation and breast/chest-feeding can be such a rewarding part of becoming a new parent. It can also be very tricky! Whether it’s your first baby or your tenth, each little one is different and some need more support than others to have a thriving lactation dyad. I have experience helping improve the lactation experience of many breastfeeding parents and their newborns. As a midwife, I have worked with jaundiced babies, colicky babies, tongue-tied babies, slow-to-gain babies, and NICU babies. I have also supported parents with an oversupply, undersupply, nipple pain, and mastitis. I plan to continue my education and become an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). I have experience with tongue, lip, and buccal tie assessments and never hesitate to reach out when it seems a higher level of care is needed. I also offer prenatal lactation consultants for those with a history of lactation struggles or who are otherwise looking for some antenatal guidance.
Lactation Support
Intrauterine Insemination
Coming soon!
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I am committed to making my services affordable as much as possible. Please reach out if you are interested but money is a struggle. I can offer a sliding scale, or a trade if applicable. I also offer a 10% reparations discount for the BIPOC community.
Medical advocacy: I partner with Lauren Wheeler BCPA, MD of Lost Coast Patient Advocacy for these services. Our rates are different because we have different skillsets and experience levels. Please inquire!
Placenta encapsulation: $250 for singleton placenta, $300 for twins. $50 deposit mandatory, which will go towards the final cost. Placenta print on high-quality watercolor paper is available for an additional $25. Free cord keepsake upon request.
Childbirth education: Group class: $150/couple, two 3-hour in-person sessions. Private class: Please inquire! This will be done in your home for $200. I am open to doing a shorter private session for a slightly reduced rate. Payment is required upfront for childbirth education classes.
Lactation support: $50/1hr visit. Unlimited visits are offered. My rate is incredibly low for this so I cannot offer a sliding scale for this service, but I will consider 1-2 pro-bono visits for special circumstances. Payment is due at the time of service.
Travel fee: If I am providing in-home services more than 25 miles from my home in McKinleyville, then I will charge a $25 travel fee. If it is more than 40 miles the travel fee raises to $50. This is to compensate for the extra time and gas.
Refunds: Refunds (including deposits) can only be offered under special circumstances. If your placenta is medically unsafe to consume, you will receive a refund. If there is an emergency that prevents you from attending the childbirth education classes, or if you withdraw at least 14 days before the class start date, then you can receive a full refund. Cancellations less than 14 days before the class can receive a 50% refund and cancellations 7 days or less will receive no refund. Refunds cannot be provided for services already completed. By booking services with me you agree to these terms.
I am not accepting insurance or HSA/FSA payments at this time. This allows me to be paid in full for my services and therefore be able to dedicate my time to caring for my clients and not haggling with insurance. I thank you for your understanding.
Pricing
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Let’s chat!
I am open to facilitating something else that works for you! The only services I am not able to perform are ones requiring me to be on call. Here is a list of additional services I am interested in offering to the community…
Postpartum doula (Daytime only, $30/hr)
Re-birth ceremony (Pricing flexible, please inquire)
Birth processing listening session ($60, 1hr)
Birth chart review; includes records review before our session, answering questions, and recommendations for future pregnancies and births ($150, or $180 when bundled with a listening session)
Q&A session, can discuss prenatal, labor, and/or postpartum questions. $50/hr.
