Last Updated May 24th, 2022
A lactation consultant costs $274 on average for an in-home visit in Los Angeles and ranges from $200 to $395. The cost will depend on how much of the lactation consultant visit will be covered through insurance and how far away the lactation consultant will need to travel to you. A virtual visit with a lactation consultant ranges from $100 to $200 with an average of $160.
| Average cost | $274 |
| Typical range | $250-$300 |
| Cheapest price | $200 |
| Most Expensive price | $395 |
In this cost guide we will examine the cost of a lactation consultation and the following:
We reached out to 20 leading lactation consultants in Los Angeles to learn more about what factors influence the price and cost of lactation consulting. See below cost summary:
| Lactation Consultant | Cost | What is Included |
|---|---|---|
| Bellies, Babies & Bosoms | $175 - In store consultation $375 - In home consultation | We do offer consultations with our IBCLC board-certified consultants in store and in home. The in store fee is $175 and the in-home fee for West Los Angeles would be $375. We do not accept insurance so consults are paid out of pocket. If needed, we can provide an invoice and superbill, as each insurance varies on coverage. |
| Preparented | $200 - home visit | For an initial consult I charge $200 which includes an hour and a half home visit, a personalized care plan, and 2 weeks of text support. During the consult, I’ll weigh your baby before a feeding, observe a feeding session and offer suggestions for improving latch, positioning, address any breast or nipple pain, and then weigh baby after the feeding to see how much milk was transferred. We can discuss any questions you have about pumping, daily routine, milk supply, etc. After our appointment I can give you a SuperBill that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement (if they cover lactation services). I’m also open to negotiating a sliding scale price if finances are tight for you right now. My hope is that you’d find help and support through your breastfeeding journey and I don’t want my price to be a hindrance to that. I also have a Text Me Anything membership ($80)—for 1 month we can text about any questions you have regarding breastfeeding, postpartum, or newborn care. You can send me videos or pictures too. |
| Los Angeles Lactation Consultant | $200 - In home visit | Initial visits are $200. Around 90% of my clients are covered by their insurance. |
| Lactation Consultant - Milk N Kisses | $225 - In home visit | If your insurance is one we accept, if not it’s $225.00 for an initial consultation, if you are 15miles or greater round trip from us it’s a $50.00 travel fee. A home visit is approximately 1.5-2 hrs, I will need to see a feed. We discuss your questions and concerns,together we formulate a plan to make your breastfeeding journey successful for however long you intend to breastfeed. I am available for 2 weeks after our consult via phone call or text. If a follow up appointment ($175.00)or referrals are needed I will provide them for you. |
| Linda Goodman, IBCLC, RLC Lactation Consultant | $225 - In home visit | An initial consultation on the west side is $225. The consultation lasts approximately 2 hours. I observe a feeding, and assist as needed. I will also perform a pre and post feeding weight to get an approximation of how much baby’s intake is. I will also give you a written care plan. If additional visits are needed, they would be $175 each. |
| Inna Henry, IBCLC - Lactation and Whole Family Support | $225 - Initial home visit $125 - Virtual Consultation | CASH PAY $125 Virtual Consultation $225 Initial home visit $175 Follow up home visit **Please note there is a $75 travel fee if you are located more than 10 miles from 91335. This fee is not covered by insurance. Depending on insurance, your visit may be covered. I am in-network with Aetna PPO insurance Another option is to do a virtual consultation (often sufficient for latching issues) and that is fully covered by eligible insurance. In either case, we review medical history for you and baby, make sure you can breastfeed pain free and effectively, and answer any questions you have. |
| Great Start Lactation - IBCLC serving Los Angeles - In home and virtual consults | $250 - In home consultation | Self pay is $250 for an initial consultation. I provide a superbill to submit to your insurance for reimbursement. I am in network with Aetna. My services are covered by PPO plans of Cigna, United, BCBS. A consultation includes review of medical and birth story, breast exam, infant exam, observation of feeding session, pumping session if applicable, anticipatory guidance and questions answered. |
| Prenatal & Breastfeeding Classes, Lactation, CPR | Manhattan Beach | $250 - in home consultation | AFTER BABY IN-HOME CONSULTATION - $250 (Duration: Up to 2 hours + 1 week of follow-up), each additional 30 minutes is $30 AFTER BABY IN-HOME FOLLOW-UP SESSIONS - $195 (Duration: Up to 1.5 hour session + 1 week of follow-up) It is possible that your insurance company may partially or fully reimburse for services rendered by South Bay Baby Care but this is not guaranteed. Any questions related to insurance coverage and/or reimbursement should be directed to your insurance provider. Contact the Member Services number on the back of your insurance card and request to speak with the Benefits Department. Some policies will partially or completely cover services provided by an IBCLC and/or RN and I have both certifications/ licenses. A superbill will be provided upon request and you can submit it to your insurance company or FSA/HSA (Health Savings Account) as per their policy. I am happy to provide CPT codes and my license numbers and/or sign any pre-approval forms that may be required by your insurance carrier or policy. Payment in full is due at the time that services are rendered. South Bay Baby Care is not in-network with any insurance companies. Locations outside the South Bay also have a travel fee: Marina del Rey, Venice, Mar Vista, & Culver City $15 Santa Monica & The Westside $40 Encino, Sherman Oaks, Studio City $75 Rancho Palos Verdes and Palos Verdes Estates $20 Beverly Hills, W. Hollywood, Downtown LA $50 North Orange County only $75 Rolling Hills & Rolling Hills Estates $20 Pacific Palisades $60 San Pedro, Long Beach $30 North Hollywood, Hollywood Hills $75 |
| Barbara Zimmermann RN BSN IBCLC, Lactation Consultant | $250 - In home consultation $150 - Virtual consultation | Initial Home Visit - $250 (90 - 120 mins) Follow-up Home Visit - $200 (60 - 90 mins) Virtual Visit - $150 (90 mins) Follow-up Virtual Visit - $100 (60 mins) Phone consultation - $50 (30 mins) Your visit may be covered by insurance. If your insurance is not accepted, I can provide a Superbill for you to submit to your insurance for reimbursement areas served Culver City El Segundo Inglewood Ladera Heights Marina Del Rey Mar Vista Playa del Rey Playa Vista South Bay Venice Westchester Windsor Hills |
| Sally Danto, IBCLC | Lactation Consultant | Los Angeles | $250 - in home consultation $200 - virtual consultation | I do take some insurances (mostly PPOs). You can check if your insurance would be accepted through this link: https://go.lactationnetwork.com/WildSmileLactation. Or, I also work with Aetna PPO. Let me know if you have Aetna and I'll let you know next steps. Visits include a thorough feeding assessment, troubleshooting, opportunity to ask all your questions and care plan. In-home visits include weight checks and weighted feeds (so we can see exactly how much your baby is eating during that feeding session). All visits include 2 weeks of follow up via text or email to address any questions or concerns relating to issues addressed in the visit or with the care plan. If you are self pay: Initial lactation consultation (in home): $250 Follow up (in home): $200 Initial consultation (virtual): $200 Follow up (virtual): $150 Please note: There is a travel fee of $75 for in-home visits more than 10 miles away (the fee is not covered by insurance). |
| Nesting Lactation | Los Angeles Lactation Consultant | $250 - in home lactation consult | My initial visit fee is $250 and includes a 90 minute in home lactation consult with pre and post weights, pumping support, newborn care and anything else you may need! I usually have patients submit their insurance information to The Lactation Network in order to check if our visits will be covered. If it’s covered, the visit would be $50 dollars for my travel fee, the rest would be covered! |
| Lactation Consultation | Breastfeeding Classes | Los Angeles | $250 - Office visit $295 - In home visit | I offer virtual and in person consultations. I can see you in my Hermosa Beach office or in your home. I am partnering with Lactation Network to provide families on PPO plans with Cigna, United, Anthem BCBS and BCBS FREE in office or virtual 90 minute lactation consultations. Home visits available with additional non-reimbursable travel fee. If you don’t have a qualifying insurance plan, an office visit is $250 and a home visit depending on area starts at $295. A visit includes an oral motor and developmental assessment mod baby, a pre and post breastfeeding weight to see how much milk baby transfers from the breast, looking at your pump to make sure you have the right size flanges and creating a plan for feeding that works for you. |
| Elena Vogel | $265 - In home visit $100/hr - Virtual visit | I provide both virtual and in person (in your home) visits, depending on the complexity of issues. Virtual visits are 1-1.5 hours in length and are $100 per hour. These work best if you have a second pair of hands available to get the camera angles needed. Many issues can be easily addressed in this way, and are often good for simple follow up needs. I conduct these over FaceTime or Zoom. An initial in-home visit is about 2 hours in length and is $265. During either kind of visit, I take a full history, assess both you and the baby, and address any feeding issues you are experiencing. If in person, I also weigh the baby (both pre and post feeding to evaluate intake). Following the visit, I email you a written plan, and welcome follow up phone calls/emails to answer questions that arise in the first few days after the visit. Follow up in person visits are 1.5-2 hours and are $185. Brief follow up communication is included in the visit fees. For more extensive follow up questions, I either recommend an additional visit or bill the extra time at the rate of a virtual consult ($100 per hour). I also offer a prenatal consultation. This is a time to get together before the birth to talk through what the first days of breastfeeding will be like, identify any risk factors, and discuss strategies to increase your chances of success. This visit is 1-2 hours and is $100 per hour. At this time, I am offering this virtually only. Note that this is not a comprehensive prenatal breastfeeding class. I am not contracted with any insurance companies, but I can provide you with a superbill to submit to your insurance. If out of network providers are covered by your plan, this will allow you to seek possible reimbursement for my services. |
| Milconline. Mother Infant Lactation Center | $275 - In-Office Lactation Consultation $395 - Home Visit Lactation Consultation | Home Visit Lactation Consultation 2 hours @ $395.00 In-Office Lactation Consultation 2 hours @ $275.00 |
| Breastfeeding Support Los Angeles In Home or Virtual | $300 - In home consultation | Our in-home consultations cover examination of latch and positioning as well as breast anatomy and any oral anatomy of the baby that may be preventing a secure and comfortable latch at the breast. Should there be any discoveries found that we think need further examine (such as tongue tie, body tension in the baby, etc), we have referral sources we can send you to for those and we can schedule follow up services in order for you to continue to feel fully supported. We also provide you with handouts regarding milk supply, nipple care, as well as any other product or informational materials we feel may be relevant to your breastfeeding journey in order to make sure you are set up for success! Our in-home consultations last up to 90 minutes and are priced at $300 each with a $50 travel fee added to distances travelled over 25mi from our residence. We will let you know if the travel fee applies once we receive your exact address. |
| My Nursing Coach | $350 - Home visit $175 - Virtual consultation | Home visit is $350, virtual $175, phone $70 and office visit $250. Lactation consults include a pre & post weighted feed, check latch, help with positioning etc. The consultation will continue based on your breastfeeding concerns. We do not accept insurance but will give you a superbill to submit to your insurance to try to get reimbursed. Our office is open from 9-5 seven days a week. |
| Los Angeles Lactation Consultant | $350 - In home visit | The cost for an in-home consultation is 350. This includes help with latching/positioning, a weight check and a feeding assessment. My service includes a personalized care plan and a week of follow-up support via phone/text or email. |
| Mama's Milk Works | $160 - Virtual visit | I am currently doing only video consults which cost $160. This includes a full evaluation, and text/phone followup for several weeks afterwards. The full evaluation includes going over your birthing history, baby's weight gain and feeding history, any pain or breast/nipple concerns, evaluation for tongue tie and anatomical issues, and I will help you get baby latched and teach you how to get a deep latch and evaluate transfer. We'll discuss your goals as well as any physical/emotional/sleep needs for you. We will come up with a plan for you for the next few days, then I usually touch base with you every day (or more if you need!) to check in and re-evaluate and adjust the plan as needed and deal with any related issues or questions that come up. Some moms are hesitant to do video consults, but I can reassure you that I have been doing both video and in person consults for many years and I find the video consults are just as effective as the in person ones |
| IM•MA | If you have a PPO plan, we can mostly likely get you covered for sessions. All sessions included a weighted feed to assess milk transfer, a detailed maternal/baby history, clinical care plan based on our recommendations, and follow up support via email/text for 2 weeks. If covered, you’ll have 6 sessions available! | |
| SG-IBCLC | I work with most insurance plans, so office visits (5670 Wilshire Flr 18 - 90036) are fully covered. Home visits may have a travel fee, depending on type of insurance as some cover the travel portion as well. Which health insurance plans do you and baby have? During an appointment we generally go over history of feeding thus far, do a weighted feed, and then work on a care plan so you know what to continue doing after the appointment. |
Note that lactation consulting pricing listed above can change.
Based on our outreach, the cheapest lactation consultant costs $200 for a home visit by Preparented. Of course, there may be cheaper options if you can find a lactation consultant covered by your insurance with a superbill.
Lactation consulting can be partially or fully covered by insurance depending on how much your insurance company will reimburse you for lactation services. You will typically have to submit a superbill and many large insurance companies like Aetna PPO, Cigna PPO, United Health PPO, and Blue Cross Blue Shield (BCBS) PPO cover lactation consulting. The exact insurance coverage will depend on your carrier, and you can find contact member services to find out how much coverage would be. You may still have to pay a travel fee (usually $50) depending on how far away you live from a lactation consultant.
During an in-home lactation consulting visit there will be a review of your medical history and birth story, your baby will be weighed before and after a feeding in a weighted feeding to see how much the baby ate, observation of a full feeding, creating a feeding plan, including looking at your pump and size of flanges. Typically brief follow up communication is included for questions that come up in the first week after the visit.
The most important things to bring to a lactation consultant appointment are everything you would need to feed the baby, including the baby, yourself, your partner or support person, breast pump and all accessories and pump parts, comfortable clothing, bottles with all bottle parts, pumped breast milk or formula, diapers (just in case).
The best time to see a lactation consultant is within the first few days of giving birth. Seeing a lactation consultant as early as possible will help with establishing good breastfeeding and diagnosing any possible breastfeeding issues.
Lactation consultants can make between $100 and $200 per hour for in-home visits lasting 1.5-2 hours, but this does not include preparation work done outside of the appointment.
Many people who have used a lactation consultant have said it is absolutely worth it. Besides the health benefits of breastfeeding for both mom and baby, the cost of formula for a baby's first year can cost roughly $1,200 to $1,500, which is significantly more than the average cost of a lactation consultant visit. The other large value of a lactation consultant is less pain while breastfeeding due to issues like poor latching and posture.
The amount of times required to see a lactation consultant will vary from person to person depending on desired objectives and breastfeeding success. Some people only have one appointment while others need several more.
IBCLC stands for International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, with rigorous requirements by ensuring that consultants have a health sciences background, a minimum of 95 hours of lactation specific education with 5 hours of communication skills, and clinical lactation experience, followed by passing an exam.