Frequently Asked Questions

Lactation consultants come from various backgrounds. IBCLCs (International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant) undergo the most rigorous training and certification process, requiring 90 hours of lactation education, 1000 hours of lactation clinical practice, and passing the board exam. Lactation consultants provide invaluable assistance and education regarding breastfeeding and lactation but cannot diagnose or treat medical conditions. Lactation medicine physicians, such as Dr. Perez, are licensed physicians that practice medicine in addition to serving as a lactation consultant (IBCLC), and therefore can provide comprehensive care for the baby and parent.

To discuss availability and to schedule an appointment, you may schedule a Meet and Greet , call us at (561) 760-1066, or use our contact form.

Yes! A fed baby is the minimum, an informed parent is best. Our aim is to help parents provide their babies with human milk, no matter how much.

Yes — a limited number of in-home lactation medicine visits are available in select areas including Wellington, Royal Palm Beach, Loxahatchee, and Westlake. Home visit availability is limited and may vary based on scheduling, distance, and appointment demand. Please contact us for current availability and scheduling options.

As a pediatrician, Dr. Perez has experience in supporting lactation in various medical scenarios, including babies with unique health care needs such prematurity, oral deformations, genetic and cardiac conditions, among others. She will work closely with the baby’s healthcare team to optimize and facilitate breastfeeding/lactation.

Dr. Perez has the expertise to evaluate and diagnose tongue ties. If necessary, we will refer you to a specialist to have the procedure done.

Yes! Breastfeeding/lactating for multiples is a challenge we welcome. There is an additional fee for multiples.

While Dr. Perez maintains her board certification in general pediatrics and is a fully licensed medical doctor by the Florida Board of Medicine , she is not accepting patients as a primary care pediatrician at this time. She will communicate closely with your child’s pediatrician/medical provider regarding the care she provides as a Lactation Medicine specialist.

All consultations will have a portion of reviewing/gathering lactation and medical history, lactation specific physical exams for both parent and baby(ies), breastfeeding observation/assessment with weighted feeds, pumping evaluation and pump flange fitting and discussion at the end.

Before The Appointment:

• To help your visit start smoothly, please complete intake questionnaires and consent forms at least 24 hours prior to your appointment
• Make a list of questions. Look over your list at the end of the consultation to make sure all your questions have been answered.

Office Visits:

• Please Bring
  • Your baby (the most important guest of honor, of course!)
  • Breastfeeding friendly attire to allow for better visualization of the breastfeeding session and for breast evaluation during the exam.
  • Your breast pump(s), including wearable pumps if applicable, pump parts, flanges, bottles, inserts, and anything you regularly use for pumping or feeding
  • Nipple shields, supplemental nursing systems (SNS), or feeding tools you are currently using
  • Formula or expressed milk if supplementation is part of your feeding plan
  • Any nipple ointments, creams, or topical products you are using (Pictures of labels or products are perfectly fine.)
  • A list or photos of any medications, vitamins, herbs, or supplements you or your baby take
  • A baby blanket and/or swaddle
  • Your feeding pillow if desired (A feeding pillow is also available in the office.)
  • Any relevant recent medical records, baby’s most recent weight, feeding logs for the past 24 hours, or evaluations related to your current concerns
  • Insurance card and photo ID
• Feeding Before the Appointment
  • If possible, try to have your baby ready to feed about 45-60 minutes into the appointment time so we can observe a feeding together. That said, babies do not always follow schedules, and that is completely okay. If your baby is very fussy before the visit, a short feed for comfort is absolutely fine. We will follow your baby’s cues and adjust the flow of the consultation as needed.
• Support Persons & Space
  • A support person is welcome and can often be very helpful, especially while mom is being examined or during pumping assessments. Because office space is limited, we kindly ask that you bring no more than one support person when possible.
• Bringing Siblings or Additional Children
  • To help keep the visit calm and focused, we kindly ask that siblings or additional children not attend the appointment. Lactation visits often require extended time, hands-on feeding support, and close attention to both parent and baby. We understand childcare is not always available, so if you must bring another child, please let us know ahead of time and bring another adult who can supervise them during the visit.
• Strollers & Bags
  • If possible, leaving larger strollers in the car can help keep the office space more comfortable and open. However, if you are coming on your own or bringing multiple baby items, please feel comfortable bringing it inside.
• Arrival Instructions
  • Arrive a few minutes early to allow time for insurance verification and any applicable payments
  • Take the elevator to the 5th floor – Turn right to Suite 501 and wait in the lobby
  • Please call us when you arrive, and we will greet you and guide you back to the office

Home Visits:

• We recommend finding a comfortable space where you do most of the feedings or where there is a comfortable place to sit such as a rocking chair. Ideally, you would have all the breastfeeding supplies and aids (breastfeeding pillow) you already use nearby.  Dr. Perez will set up her equipment in this space. A table to place the infant scale is ideal.
• No need to clean or tidy up. We fully expect and accept the “mess.”
• Involve your partner or support member (a family member or friend). They can learn tips on how to support you as a lactating parent and be a great help to entertain older siblings if needed.
• Although we love furry friends, please keep pets in a separate area during the consultation.

Telemedicine:

It’s helpful to have bright, natural lighting. Sitting by a window or large opening will help us with the exam portion. A good internet connection is ideal.

Dr. Perez understands and encourages protecting babies in the first 2 months of life from infectious diseases. Dr. Perez is fully vaccinated and practices thorough hand hygiene. Best practices regarding equipment sanitation will be observed. She is also happy to wear a mask during the consultation if desired.

Absolutely! We encourage a partner or support member to join consultations. They provide additional support and can learn techniques that can assist with breastfeeding success after the consultation is done. 

Dr. Perez is available for follow-up questions and concerns via messaging through the patient portal in Charm Health. If your issue is more urgent, you may call the office and leave a voicemail. Calls are returned during regular business hours Monday – Friday. If lactation issues still ensue, a follow up visit may be scheduled. For emergencies or concerns not related to lactation, please reach the assigned primary care provider for you and/or your baby.

These services, if necessary, are part of the evaluation. As Dr. Perez is NOT the Primary Care Provider for the parent or baby, if your insurance requires a referral to see a specialist, it will need to be obtained from the PCP. Information regarding specialists can be provided by Dr. Perez.

We are considered out-of-network therefore we do not bill directly to insurance companies. However, we partner with The Lactation Network (TLN) and Wildflower. These companies will bill your insurance on your behalf for the lactation consultant portion of our visit. Most major insurance companies (Cigna, BCBS, Anthem, United Healthcare, Humana PPO, plus others) are accepted and most insurances will cover multiple visits. All you need to do is get approved with TLN or Wildflower prior to scheduling a visit with us. Click here to check coverage – it’s easy and fast! TLN and Wildflower will ONLY cover the lactation consultant portion of the fee. Even if insurance is accepted, there will still be a physician fee portion that is due by the patient/client to cover the advanced level of medical care and travel costs.  For clients wanting reimbursement for out-of-network services from their insurances, we can provide you with a superbill, a specialized receipt, that you can submit to your insurance company. Submitting a superbill does not guarantee that the services will be covered by the insurance company. All our lactation services are considered preventative care and federal law requires that health insurance companies cover breastfeeding services. We recommend calling your insurance company to discuss your specific coverage.

You can pay via credit card (VISA, Mastercard, Amex, Discover) with a service fee, HSA/FSA, ACH transactions via your bank, check, or Zelle. Check with your HR department regarding using HSA/FSA for the fees.

Completion of payment for the visit fee is collected at the time of service. Payment for the pre-birth consult is due prior to the consult.

Our cancellation/refund policy is designed to ensure respect for both our clients’ time and our professionals’ schedules. All appointments require a 24-hour notice for rescheduling or cancellation.