Sometimes feeding your baby goes differently than expected...

Willow Family Medicine is pleased to offer families lactation & infant feeding support alongside comprehensive 4th trimester (& beyond) care. All services are accessible by referral and provided by a physician who is also an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. This is provided at no cost to patients with Provincial Health Care.

A first visit takes approximately 90 minutes and includes a full medical history, feeding observation and assessment, weight and/or transfer checks with hands-on help. All follow-up visits take approximately 30-45 minutes. 

See here to learn how to access these services.

At your visit, multiple aspects of feeding will be addressed such as, but not limited to:

• Parental/family goals and limitations

• Physical, mental and social factors impacting feeding and child-parent relationship

• Review and management of past and present medical conditions, possible ordering of investigations

If indicated, lingual (tongue) and labial (lip) frenectomy (aka frenotomy) will be offered. Our physicians are trained in release of both “anterior” and “posterior” restrictions. This procedure is provided at no cost with Provincial Health Care and completed with scissors. While these issues are often suspected prior to a visit, to ensure appropriate diagnosis, a successful outcome and a timely workflow, a full intake assessment will be completed regardless of suspicion. If frenectomy is appropriate, the infant and parent return for a post procedure visit within 3 to 10 days.

Our clinic recommends post-frenectomy wound care to reduce the risk of reattachment. When done correctly, this care is respectful, gentle and non-invasive. To support families and reduce worry during this time, comprehensive after care instruction in the form of hands-on support, handouts and videos will be provided and reviewed with each family.