In Sept 2012 I brought my 3 week old son in to see Jennifer de Franco because I was having a lot of trouble nursing. She came highly recommended from the organizer of the local La Leche League group. My son's latch was extremely painful for me, and we were supplementing 75% of his daily intake with formula because I was not producing enough and I had a lot of nipple trauma due to the bad latch. Jennifer spent 2 hours with me, assessing my son's latch, educating me on lactation and proper nursing techniques, determining how much milk my son was taking in, and showed me varying nursing positions. After examining my son's mouth, she suggested that he had a stage 3 tongue tie which would never let him latch comfortably. She referred me to an excellent Pediatric Otolaryngologist (ENT) at Georgetown, Dr. Earl Harley, who was able to see us two days later. He confirmed Jennifer's diagnosis and clipped his tongue tie that day, which took only seconds. Jennifer worked with me an additional session, to confirm that my son's latch had improved (boy did it!), and to help me with pain management from the nipple trauma of the first three weeks of nursing. She also checked in with me weekly via email to give me encouragement and advice about milk production, pumping, pain management, and anything else that I had questions about. Six weeks after my initial consultation with her, my son was nursing like a champ, and all of my pain was gone! Jennifer demystified breastfeeding for me, and made me realize it was possible to work through the problems I was having and do this long term. She was approachable and was very eager and willing to answer every question I had. I had had such a difficult time nursing our first son three years before, and had to give up after 7 weeks of nursing. I think he too had a bad latch, but the guidance I was given at that time was vague and unhelpful. I WISH I had known Jennifer three years ago! My son is now 8 months old, and I am still nursing him. It is such a gift and a joy to have this bond with him, and I feel I owe my success to Jennifer and Premier Lactation Services!! Thank you!! read more

This is really a wonderful group of Lactation Consultants. I was near to giving up on breastfeeding when my son was only a week old because the pain was unbearable. I had gone through the same thing with my previous child, and had given up nursing because even the LCs I had seen had not been able to figure out the problem. I imagined I would need to give up nursing this baby too, because the problem seemed to be the same, but thankfully I decided to try one consultant before quitting. Premier Lactation had been recommended to us at the hospital, and we gave them a call. They were wonderful! A consultant (Rachel) was able to see us promptly. It turned out my baby had a posterior tongue tie. She gave me the names and numbers of doctors who could do a procedure to clip the tie. She said that if we had to wait very long to get in to the doctor, she would come back and help us use a nipple shield if I needed it to deal with the pain. Thankfully we were seen very soon, and after we had the procedure done she returned to check the baby's tongue and to see how feeding was going. She was able to measure the amount of milk he was getting in a feeding, and she monitored his weight to make sure all was ok. She showed me how to latch him on correctly and gave advice on how often to nurse, how to stabilize my milk supply etc. Even though the consultations were one week apart, I called once and emailed a couple times for advice and was always answered promptly and politely. Just knowing I had such a supportive resource relieved my anxiety. Anyone who has had difficulty nursing a baby knows how stressful it can be, and how time sensitive your questions are (or at least seem to be)! It is no surprise that many people give up when things get stressful - to have help from people who are both professional and understanding of your situation is incredibly valuable. That is what you will find with Premier Lactation Services. I would recommend them to any Mom who needs breastfeeding support. Elizabeth read more

I am a first time mother of twins. I contacted Premier Lactation Services as a last resort, and out of desperation. I wish i had done so even sooner. I so wanted to be able to breastfeed my 3 week old twin boys, but I was struggling with production and pain and low self confidence. So one night as I suffered through another prolonged, painful feeding and got ready to supplement for the seventh time that day, I filled out the consultation form. This was at 10:45pm. Imagine my surprise when I received an email right away from Jennifer, saying she would be up until 11:00pm if I wanted to contact her that night for the phone consult!! When she came by my house (on a Sunday!) she was incredibly warm, reassuring, understanding, responsive, and professional. I felt immediately at ease with her and she was extremely knowledgeable. She spent over two hours at my house. In that time she examined me, the boys(for tongue tie and sucking ability etc.), weighed them before and after a feed, watched them as they latched and how long they actively ate, showed me the best way to give them their supplemented formula. She talked with me and my husband and was very encouraging. She gave me a lot of advice and recommended several ways forward. She followed up with me weekly. Now, almost two months later, I am able to exclusively breastfeed my boys. I can honestly say that I would not have gotten to this joyful time in my life without the help I received from Jennifer at Peremier Lactation Services. Thank you!!! read more

Knowledge is power! After a miserable experience breastfeeding my second child in 2013, I met with Rachel Crossen, who quickly identified a posterior tongue tie and upper-lip tie in my son. She was amazing and helped us succeed at breastfeeding. Fast forward to 2015 when my 3rd child was born. Thanks to Rachel's amazing support in 2013, I immediately knew that baby #3 also had a posterior tongue-tie and upper-lip tie from her very first latch, even when the nurses and lactation consultant at the hospital were unsure. We were able to have her ties corrected using laser correction when she was 3 days old. Her ties were so severe that the pediatric dentist was astounded that we were able to nurse. The pain was unbearable those 3 days prior to the correction, but thanks to Rachel's help in the past, I knew there was a light at the end of the tunnel. I arranged to meet with Rachel with baby #3 after a few weeks to help us with her latch after the procedure. She treated us like old friends and was so loving and supportive. I have recommended Premier Lactation Services to every new mom I know! Their physical and emotional support are invaluable. I feel so blessed that with all of the information I gained from baby #2, I knew right away how to handle the tongue and lip ties when baby #3 was born. I can't say enough wonderful things about my experience with Rachel and Premier Lactation Services! read more

I absolutely and completely love Premier Lactation Services, and I am forever grateful to their expertise. At 4 weeks postpartum, I had already undergone painful mastitis weekly. It hurt to breastfeed yet I knew my precios son needed to nurse. I called Jennifer on a Sunday afternoon in a very desperate place and she held me up by asking the right questions, problem solving, understanding me, giving me relief and a light at the end of the tunnel. She was able to diagnose that I had fibrocystic breast tissues which was causing my milk ducts to plug thus causing infection repeatedly. She gave me a whole regimen and plan based on my desire for natural remedies over the phone. She knew exactly what I needed and she provided comfort as she had seen this in other moms before me. As an added relief, the phone consultation was free. I was able to easily consult with Jennifer as I got on my way with breastfeeding. I also set up an in person appointment where she came to my home. She is such an expert and so professional. As breastfeeding changed as the months went by, Jennifer was always available by email or phone for any question. I look forward to working with her again and again as I create my family. I know with Premiere Lactation I am in the best, most trustworthy hands. Thank you Jennifer! read more

Premier Lactation Services is an outstanding clinic and I would greatly recommend them to all mothers!! Jennifer is extremely caring and willing to go the extra mile to help in any way she can. I called her on a Friday morning desperate for help and she was able to fit me in to her schedule that afternoon and spent 2+ hours with me. When I walked in to her clinic I was unable to breastfeed my child at all. I had tried everything and was exhausted and falling apart. Within 15 minutes Jennifer had my little one latched on and eating!!! It was unbelievable. She was calm and made me feel better about the situation. Another point that I found extremely comforting was that she as practical about breastfeeding. She cares for the child above all, and if breastfeeding is not an option or the child is not getting the volume of milk they need, she will tell you. She understands that breastfeeding is the best option for your child, but sometimes things don't work out and you have to move on to other options. As a health care provider myself, I found this clinic to be superior to anything that I had encountered in the past! They are professional, caring and provide excellent care. I will be using them again in the future. Five stars!!!! Keep up the great work ladies! You are changing lives! read more

Premier Lactation Services is a fantastic service--I would have had to give up on breastfeeding my child without them. After an incredibly difficult week and a half of getting different advice from lactation consultants and nurses at the hospital and at my pediatrician's office, all of whom gave different and conflicting advice, I was at my wit's end and knew my son was not breastfeeding successfully. Rachel, the consultant from Premier Lactation Services was the first person to correctly diagnose the situation--that Andrew was not sucking effectively and that my milk supply was low--thanks to her amazing scale that measured how many milliliters he gained after he breastfed. She spent two hours at my house giving me the tools I needed to teach him how to suck effectively and to get my milk in. It was only two or three days later that he was able to breastfeed successfully without any intervention and without supplementing formula, and he has been doing wonderfully since. She has answered every question at the visit and afterward with timeliness and detail, both of which are much appreciated when you are concerned and confused about your child's health. I don't think breastfeeding would have been possible without her, and I am thankful every day that I called them. read more

I'm fairly certain that without the help from my lactation consultant, Jennifer, from Premier Lactation Services, I would have given up breastfeeding after the first few weeks. I had a very difficult time in the beginning and had some bumps in the road during my recovery after delivery. Jennifer helped me understand and resolve the problems my little guy and I were having, and she helped keep me calm and proud of my efforts to continue breastfeeding. I'm so glad I had her help and was able to push through the hard times! Initially, I filled out the online form for my insurance through their site, and Jennifer called me shortly afterwards and was able to squeeze me in the same day, which was a Sunday! I had her come by again a few days later because I was still struggling quite a bit and was worried my baby wasn't getting fed enough. At both visits, she spent a lot of time with my baby and me, and I got way more out of them than I ever expected. I was able to email and text with her for several weeks afterwards, and she was always very responsive and helpful. She had an answer for everything and was able to explain things very thoroughly. I'm so glad I found their website and reached out when I did. Can't thank my consultant enough! read more

I have nursed 7 children over the last 10 years. I have also had to have lactation help for all my children. Premier Lactation Services was by far the best experience I have had! Jennifer was wonderful in helping me with various issues that were both familiar and ones that were new to my youngest child. I also had the pleasure of working with Rachel, who was also a delight to work with and was incredibly insightful. There are a few qualities that for me set PLS apart from others; one, is their vast knowledge and experience. They encourage and guide you each step, each week, including the hard times that can be frustrating. Second, they provided me the clinical information I needed to make critical decisions that in the end enabled me to nurse successfully. Lastly, I was always cared for not only as a patient, but as a mother who yearns to nurse her baby, a connection that only a mother can relate to. I would recommend both Jennifer and Rachel to any new mother needing lactation help and am in the process of recommending PLS to my Pediatrician's office. Gratefully, Mother of 7 read more

After having exclusively breastfed my first nine babies for about a year and a half each, I never thought I would ever need a private lactation consult. Then baby #10 was born with a lip tie/ posterior tongue tie and I was clueless! Laura and Jen answered my questions over the phone after hours on a weekend when I realized I had a crisis (baby not wetting diapers and mommy getting full then not producing milk). Then Rachel Crossen came for a thorough consult before getting the tongue/lip released For me it wasn't a quick fix as we have basically been struggling on what seemed to be a roller coaster for four months of having to pump and supplement with bottle of pumped milk and be stretching tongue so it wouldn't re-attach. I am now exclusively breastfeeding and baby is peeing as well as gaining weight! Yipee!!! I can't imagine what it would have been like to bottle feed my own baby permanently! I am very grateful to Laura, Jen and Rachel Crossen at Premier Lactation for your kind genuine service and encouragement. read more

You may THINK you've seen a lactation consultant, but I assure you, you have NOT been helped until you see these QUALITY lactation consultants! I was blown away by the service I was given. After working with PLS, I feel like the "lactation consultant" at the hospital was a joke. 3 pediatricians and other supposed breast feeding experts all missed my sons tongue tie--he was having major eating problems and lost weight down to 5 lbs 8oz and was hospitalized for a WEEK....Jennifer diagnosed and easily fixed what no one else could. After having my baby diagnosed as failure to thrive and having the pediatricians put us thru hell, you absolutely saved my ability to breastfeed my son! I am loving being able to exclusively breastfeed. I am so happy and feel so proud. My only regret is that I didn't know of you when I was having issues with feeding my daughter. I will be telling all my friends who want to breastfeed about you. This quality of help should be given to ALL mothers who want to breast feed. read more

I had concerns that I wasn't producing enough breast milk and decided to go see Jen at Premier Lactation Services. I had no idea what to expect and had my doubts, but what an incredibly peaceful and helpful experience it was. Jen was calm and knowledgeable and spent considerable time with my 2.5 week old daughter and I. She watched me nurse, assessed my breast tissue, watched and listened to my daughter nurse and provided a detailed assessment afterwards. She even taught me two new incredibly useful and comfortable feeding positions. Jen sent me home with homework to further assess my milk supply with clear instructions. We went back for a discussion about my "pump challenge" and a weight check for my daughter. After these appointments, I was not only confident that I was producing enough milk, I knew that my baby was gaining appropriate weight and was a champ feeder! Her weekly follow up emails have been encouraging and remain helpful. Thanks to Jen, I've got my breast feeding confidence back! read more

I contacted Premier after having my fourth baby. While I had successfully breastfed my other three babies, I thought I wouldn't have any problems this time around. One month later after having already contacted one lactation consultant we were still having problems. Baby D wasn't gaining weight. He was a super sleepy baby. His latch was not great. Jennifer contacted me right away. She traveled over one hour to come and see me and baby D. I was so pleasantly surprised at her thorough assessment, professionalism, and equipment she brought with her. She put us on the right path and D started gaining weight. She gave me the confidence to stay the course even when the pediatrician wanted us to go all formula. Jennifer went above and beyond what I would have ever expected. She kept in constant contact with me through e-mail checking up on our progress. I can't say enough how invaluable the consultations have been. Well worth the cost for a successful breastfeeding experience. read more

I was having trouble after leaving the hospital of my poor baby losing a lot of weight, the lactation consultant in the hospital of my delivery didn't spend more than 5mins with me, which greatly impacted my baby and I. After getting yelled at by the ped doc because she wanted me to formula feed and not breast feed inclusively. She recommended Premier lac services and wanted me to meet with them right away, I met Jen that night, she came to my house, and had me and baby in our environment and showed me what to do.. I am so grateful for Jen, because of her I stuck with breastfeeding, was even told I could supplement with my own breast milk which was never suggested by the doctor!! She came by the next 3 nights, checked and weighed my baby, answered all my first time mom, neurotic questions! and educated us on a lot.. my baby is now a super healthy weight, Im so confident in breast feeding now, and both my baby and I are doing great.. I would recommend them to anyone!!!! read more

Everyone says breastfeeding is easy but that wasn't what I was experiencing with my daughter. Every feeding was torture for both of us, and I had never been more frustrated with anything in my life than I was with this. I had visited another lactation consultant who does not even compare to Jennifer. From the first time Jennifer and I talked on the phone, I could tell she was invested in helping me make breastfeeding a positive experience. I was not disappointed at all when I met with her. She spent more time than I ever imagined figuring out my daughter and I. Ends up we both had things going on that were making the experience painful and unsuccessful. Jennifer made recommendations and followed up with me weekly. I didn't feel alone in this battle anymore. I think Jennifer deserves more than 5 stars. :) read more

I am a first time mom and had been looking forward to being able to breastfeed my little one. Unfortunately, it was not all I had expected when I started, and after just a week, I was ready to throw in the towel due to the pain I was experiencing. Fortunately, I decided to call Jen at Premier Lactation Services first and give her a chance to help me. I could not be happier with the results!! She came to my house and was able to help me with getting my daughter to latch much better and eliminate the pain I had been experiencing. She was greatly knowledgeable and showed me so many things I never even considered. Now, breastfeeding just feels like second nature, and my daughter is thriving. I cannot thank Jen enough for everything, and I highly recommend her services to anyone!!! read more

Our daughter had dropped about 9% of her body weight the week after she was born, was crying constantly, and wanted to nurse all the time. My motherly instinct told me that she wasn't getting enough when nursing. We contacted Premier Lactation Services and Sharon came to our house within 24 hours! She did a weight check and watched how she nursed. She gave us tips and went over holds with us. With her help, we were able to get her weight back up and nursing was much more enjoyable and not painful like it had been!! Sharon provided great one on one services, answered every question we had, and took her time with us. We never once felt rushed! She was a lifesaver for us!! I love the fact that she remained in contact with me for weeks after to just check in on our daughter. read more

I reached out to Premier Lactation Services after several frustrating experiences with other LC's from the hospital, and a failure to get a timely response back from other private consultants. I was in extreme pain due to my son's latch issue and wanted someone to come to the house to physically show me what I was doing wrong. There's something helpful about having someone in your environment that you can't get at a hospital. Laura was patient, understanding, and showed me different nursing positions. Later on I made the decision to exclusively pump because I was still experiencing issues, and Laura reached out to me to ask what support I needed or questions I had. She has been extremely helpful and I highly recommend her services. read more

I am more than happy to write a review on this company. Jennifer was by far a God send to us. My little one was having difficulty latching and I was already having trouble producing milk. Jennifer spent a great amount of time talking my husband and I through what has been a life changing experience for us. With her guidance and support, I am breastfeeding my baby and I could not be happier. I have recommended this company to many others and I have raved about my experience. Without Jennifer's help, I would have given up on breastfeeding. I am happy to say that we are a month into it and we have many more to go. Thank you for helping us get through our breastfeeding obstacle-we really appreciate it!! read more