Re: Follow-up calls

[Guest guest]

>

> nne,

> You asked if I feel it is my responsibility to follow-up with

mothers. I've been thinking about it. The answer is absolutely yes, I

do, if I already know in my heart that this is what a particular

mother is going to need. This is my personal philosophy. This is what

feels right and appropriate for me to be doing. Perhaps it's the old

LLL Leader in me or the grandma. I realize that very few agree with

me. That's fine. What helps me to know it's the right thing to do is

that so many phone me or send notes or Christmas cards months or years

later to let me know how they're doing and to thank me. It is very

time consuming and I can certainly understand why many would feel they

wouldn't have time for it. By the way, I have actually known a few

doctors that did, indeed, follow up with personal phone calls to see

how patients were doing!

> Anne Grider

>

Anne,

Again, my experience has been that holistic practitioners follow-up. I

have always had f/u calls from my homeopath and naturopath when I had

consulted them over a serious problem. I think I have used this term

before--but I think I tend to " midwife " my moms through their

problems. It sure seems to work.

Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

Intuitive Parenting Network, LLC

[Guest guest]

Anne Wrote: " By the way, I have actually known a few doctors that

did, indeed, follow up with personal phone calls to see how patients

were doing! "

And I can remember those doctors names and thought more of them for

taking the time to do it!

That being said, so many people, are feeding/active or screen their

calls when I do call that I don't reach them on the first try. I

leave my number, and encourage them to call me when they are free. I

try one other time (usually within 24 hours), and then feel like I

have done my attempt to follow up, and leave the ball in their

court. I agree, I can't work harder at it than they are willing.

When I have a mother who calls, I discuss what I do during my HV, and

that it generally lasts 2-2.5 hours in the comfort of her home and

the cost. I ask if she wants to set up an appointment, if she says

she will call me back, I offer the information for LLL and WIC if

applicable, and refer them to websites if they have web access.

Encouraging them to consider ALL the costs of not continuing to bf.

I'v never told them about a willingness to make a payment plan, but

will add that, do you charge anything extra for that? Have you ever

not gotten full payment? I am planning on getting paypal on my

website, that too will help I think, by allowing women to prepay for

a visit with a credit card.

I have enjoyed this HV vs OV topic, I live in an area that knows

little of IBCLC, and in a state with the lowest bf rates of the

country. I am the only IBCLC within 50 miles, and the others work

only in hospitals not in PP, so I do only HV - more due to lacking

space at my home, but travel within a specific area, then charge

milage (usually less than $10) outside the area. I long for the day

to do some OV ($$to rent space) ... tried to encourage a partnership

with a Pedi office, but they wanted me to be an office nurse who did

a little LC work on the side... not what I had in mind; and the pay

was definatly not what I had in mind.

Dalton RNC, IBCLC, RLC