Amid Baby Formula Shortage, Immediate Emergency Relief Provided by Lactation Telehealth Pioneers Nest Collaborative

FARMINGTON, Conn., June 14, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Nest Collaborative, the nation's first and largest virtual lactation consultation platform, announced that it is seeing the highest demand for daily consultations with its national network of lactation consultants since the infant formula shortage began in May. Because its visits are covered by most insurers across the U.S., Nest Collaborative has dramatically increased access to the crucial support that's needed during this crisis.

The infant feeding crisis is driving more parents to seek professional guidance on safe and optimal infant feeding options as well as information about induced lactation, relactation and increasing milk supply. That in turn is heightening awareness about access barriers to breastfeeding support. These barriers can include geographic distribution of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs), cost of services and other logistical barriers.

"I founded Nest Collaborative to provide parents with the support they need, when they need it and without the hassle of worrying about how they are going to afford it," said Amanda Gorman, Chief Clinical Officer. "There are so many barriers to breastfeeding. Cost shouldn't be one of them."

Nest Collaborative was launched in 2017 under the premise that no parent should have to pay for lactation support, as stipulated under the Affordable Care Act, breastfeeding support is a preventive service for which insurance must cover costs. Yet, many parents still face significant barriers accessing evidence-based guidance from trained experts due to the high cost of lactation consultations and the shortage of IBCLCs.

There are currently fewer than half the number of ICBLCs per 1,000 live births in the U.S. than the Surgeon General recommends. The combination causes significant hardship especially in situations where parents are desperate for help as many have been during the ongoing baby formula shortage.

"Now more than ever, parents need quick, convenient and affordable access to certified lactation consultants who can provide accurate information, resources and support as families continue to struggle to figure out how to feed their babies," said Judith Nowlin, CEO of Nest Collaborative.

IBCLCs are the gold standard in lactation care and are experts in human lactation and can support families in their infant feeding decisions. Nest Collaborative provides same-day appointments with IBCLCs for parents in need of breastfeeding support in all 50 states. Nest Collaborative accepts insurance from the healthcare marketplace, employee-sponsored plans and Medicaid. Nest Collaborative's network of IBCLCs speak Arabic, English, Haitian Creole, Hebrew, Portuguese, Spanish, Urdu and Burmese.

Nest Collaborative recently held a webinar to provide resources to clinical providers who seek to support families as a result of the infant formula shortage. Nest Collaborative's Vice President of Clinical Services Dr. Lilly Hubschman-Shahar, DNP, NNP-BC, IBCLC, discussed the multiple factors that contributed to the crisis and suggested that providers reframe it as an infant feeding crisis rather than a formula shortage to stress the impact of long-standing suboptimal breastfeeding rates and barriers to skilled lactation care that exacerbate inevitable infant formula safety concerns and shortages. She noted that Nest is uniquely positioned to support families at all times, in addition to the current infant feeding crisis, due to their unique preventive and holistic care model that provides compassionate, evidence-based, family-centered and goal-based care to families regardless of their infant feeding choices.

Nest Collaborative's lactation consultants have provided 16,000 visits to parents to date, many of whom would not have had access to breastfeeding support during COVID. Families highly recommend Nest Collaborative's services with a consistent NPS rating of 95+.

Nest Collaborative was awarded 1st Place and $10,000 at the 2022 Yale Innovation Summit's Tech and Digital Health Pitch Contest in May. Nest Collaborative was selected from over 100 applications for the contest. The Yale Innovation Summit is the largest gathering of venture capital investors in Connecticut, attended by 1,000 entrepreneurs representing 320 companies and 120 venture capital firms.

Nest Collaborative, Farmington, CT, is the creator of the nation's first virtual lactation platform. The company's nationwide network of lactation consultants is available to families for same-day virtual consults, meaning more parents and their health providers have access to the help that creates successful breastfeeding journeys. Nest Collaborative was recognized by Verywell Family as the Best Online Lactation Consultant of 2021, beating out competitors by offering insurance-covered appointments, same-day availability, and group sessions through their offering of Latch Lounge. For more information, visit: www.nestcollaborative.com.

Media Contact:
Michelle Hillman
Todd Stein Communications
[email protected] 

SOURCE Nest Collaborative