Lactation Consultant Offering This Service Earns More Money
New moms who have just given birth are faced with tremendous stress and overwhelm following labor and delivery. Some moms face an immediate risk of ineffective breastfeeding for a number of reasons. This might be due to her delivery and trauma to her body or the baby having trouble latching. Whatever the reason is, these moms seek out a lactation consultant to help them with breastfeeding challenges.
Lactation consultants are in high demand, especially as the American Academy of Pediatrics recently updated the breastfeeding recommendation to breastfeed for the first two years of a baby’s life. In order for a mom to maintain her breastfeeding journey, she needs a healthy line of support in the beginning to make it successful.
If you are a lactation consultant, you can make even more money by providing sleep consulting services to these new moms. The extreme exhaustion many parents face after bringing a new baby into the home plus the demands of breastfeeding make you the perfect fit to help many families. Make a difference in a mom’s postpartum journey by being there for her as her lactation consultant and pediatric sleep consultant.
What is a Lactation Consultant?
A lactation consultant, also known as an IBCLC, is someone who helps breastfeeding mothers in their breastfeeding journey. Breastfeeding can be difficult and overwhelming. It is especially challenging to understand if a baby is receiving enough milk to nourish them. As a lactation consultant, you can be there to support and guide them.
According to the Center for Disease Control, only 1 in 4 babies are born in facilities that provide recommended maternity care practices for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. This means the remaining 75% of babies not born in breastfeeding supported facilities have mothers who could use assistance with their breastfeeding journey. Become an international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) to help these mothers.
Lactation consultants can choose to partner with hospitals directly if there are current openings. They can also come to homes where mothers can receive support in the comfort of their own home. An IBCLC can also open their own private practice and host clients in an office space. This service comes with flexibility for the families and consultants.
How to Add Sleep Consulting to Lactation Consulting Services
When you establish yourself as a certified lactation consultant, it is easier to add services like sleep consulting to your business. Be part of the village many new moms need after having a baby.
Become a Certified Sleep Consultant
Become a certified sleep consultant so that you can add sleep consulting to the list of services you offer. Many families will look specifically for certification before hiring someone to help with sleep troubles. Ensure you have the proper training and knowledge around safe sleep practices, best methods, and how to communicate with families.
To become a lactation consultant who offers sleep consulting services, enroll in the Center for Pediatric Sleep Management (CPSM) course. Get industry-leading training, a comprehensive curriculum, and all the tools to set you up as a successful sleep consultant.
The CPSM was created with a unique approach in that not every baby will benefit from using the same methods. Each sleep consultant learns how to listen to each family’s unique needs and understand each baby individually. Then they can take action to help with the sleeping challenges versus pressing one method onto each family that may or may not work (as shown in other programs).
Benefits of the CPSM include:
- Complete the course at your own pace
- Receive professional guidance from the founder herself
- Get assistance to build your business
- Receive lifetime access to the course and any updates
- Join a community of like-minded individuals who are there to support and answer your questions
- Graduate from the CPSM with a certification in sleep consulting
Create Packages for Your Offer
Once you have completed the CPSM course, you can begin curating packages to offer your clients. Make special bundles for lactation and sleep consulting services. Each family will require a different level of support. Your expertise on both topics could truly benefit many families.
Consider what kind of salary you want to earn while you are putting packages together. Think about any insurances you will be able to accept or if you will offer any payment plans. Part of the village new parents need includes having your guidance, education, and encouragement.
Commit to a Schedule
There will be a variety of hours families will need you. This doesn’t mean you have to accept any and all requests that come to you. However, you might want to consider the more common hours when families typically need support during the day or evenings so that you have a higher chance of picking up more clients.
Make a schedule that you feel will support your lifestyle as well. You may not need to work full time if your packages are able to cover your expenses and keep you comfortable. You will also be able to choose if you will offer services in-home, virtually, or have a specific office for clients to come to you.
Accept Clients
Accepting clients as a new sleep consultant can be intimidating. If you already have clients for lactation consulting, consider asking those clients if they would be interested in your new sleep consulting services. This way, you will be able to gain experience without the added pressure of developing rapport with new people.
You already feel comfortable with these clients and they already feel comfortable with you. Bring them on as new sleep consulting clients. Ask them to refer you to their friends and families so that you can increase your clientele base.
Consider offering a discount on your services so that you can gain experience quickly and boost your confidence as a sleep consultant. Implementing all you have learned in your training will help you grow your business faster.
Request Testimonials
Testimonials are one of the biggest pieces of successfully selling your services to others. People want to see that if they invest in you as a sleep consultant, you will actually deliver. Testimonials are social proof. They will help you generate more business and help future clients find you.
Ask any families that you have served as either an IBCLC or with sleep consulting for testimonials about you. Their reference about your professionalism, your level of care, and overall support will be helpful for others to see. Assuming that your clients have loved working with you, asking them for a testimonial shouldn’t be a difficult thing for them to provide in order to help you grow your business.
Market Your Business
One of the most exciting things to do is to start marketing your business. Now that you have taken the CPSM course and have become a certified pediatric sleep consultant, it’s time to tell others about this new service you are offering in addition to your lactation consulting service.
Post on your social media pages about your new service. You can also send out a broadcast to your email list. Consider reaching out directly to people who have shown interest in your services to get them onboard now that you have even more value to add to their life. Update your website with this new service as well. The more you share, the more chances you will have of increasing your clientele and your income.
To make it easier for you, consider setting up an appointment scheduler so that potential clients can book appointments with you automatically for a consultation for your services. This will help market your business quicker when people can have faster access to you.
Lactation Consultants Are Essential to New Moms
A new mom is someone who has just given birth, even if she has one or more children already. Each pregnancy, postpartum journey, and baby will be different from the last. As an IBCLC who offers sleep consulting services, you can help these moms get comfortable with this new transition in life.
Having a baby is a life changing event and one that can take a toll on everyone in the family. Be the person they look to for support and comfort when they feel frazzled and confused. A new baby takes time to learn and there are so many questions a new mom faces. Having someone like you in their corner encouraging them with accurate information is exactly what they need to feel safe and to heal appropriately.
Begin your journey as a certified lactation consultant and certified pediatric sleep consultant now. Enroll in the CPSM for your certification using the best sleep consulting techniques. This course will change your life as well as the lives of the families you serve. As a postpartum professional, you will find there are many rewarding moments serving families in breastfeeding and getting sleep again.
Join our free community to learn more about becoming a sleep consultant.