Tamara was very helpful and helped me troubleshoot some issues. I was ultimately able to breastfeed my son for a year, and I know Tamara's help in the initial stage was invaluable. Thank you, Tamara! read more

We found Tamara Hawkins online and was able to quickly make an appointment for a lactation consultant. We took a taxi up to Harlem about 3 days after I gave birth. Super clinical and zero emotions or warmth. After 5 minutes she just said I can't help you; zero milk. I felt bad for about 2 days then did formula and gave up on breastfeeding. Best thing I ever did was formula feeding my baby. read more

I was planning to take two classes with Stork and Cradle: Baby Care and Birthing Class. My insurance somehow only covers classes with Stork and Cradle, but at least it's something. Baby Care was ok, the instructor covered a lot of ground, sometimes going into incredible detail and sometimes skipping through topics. The class was small (only two families) so I felt like I got what I needed out of it, and asked the questions I wanted to ask. Then they called me to cancel my enrollment in the birthing class because of "instructor availability," no other details offered, completely unapologetically, just suggested that I enroll in the next one, which was AFTER my due date. Felt like they pulled the rug out from under me, since I had arranged my schedule for months for this one class! It was stressful and felt disrespectful, after all, us preggies are working on a tight deadline!!! read more

I decided to make an appointment with Tamara since she was close to my home in Harlem as well as came recommended by a good friend who coincidentally went to her too a year ago. I am so glad I went. I was having a lot of trouble holding and positioning my newborn. During/after each feeding my nipples were in so much pain. I was in tears everyday for over a week because I wasn't sure if my newborn was getting adequate food since I was having so much pain breastfeeding that I convinced myself I simply wasn't doing it right and that I'm starving him as a result. During my first appointment she examined my breasts and nipples, as all as examined his mouth and weighed him. We then got started with breastfeeding. She showed me how to correctly position him, how to correctly position myself and my hands (I was also having a lot of wrist pain bc I was straining my wrist and hands holding him prior) and how things should feel right. At the end she gave me a take-home plan and some additional information. I went in for a follow up 2 days later for extra reinforcement and practice as I was having some trouble replicating my in-office success at home. She remained patient and adjusted my form as necessary. Definitely recommend going if you need some instruction and guidance on breastfeeding. read more

Tamara is amazing. I booked an appointment with her when my baby was a couple of weeks old and I had issues with the latching and milk production. Thanks to Tamara's advice I've been now breastfeeding my girl exclusively. Tamara is very professional and knowledgeable and at the same time very personable and warm, which makes her a perfect person to go to with such sensitive issues as breastfeeding problems. read more

Had a very helpful appointment with Tamara Hawkins when my daughter was 3 weeks old and not getting back to her birth weight. Tamara was efficient and knowledgeable and she took my insurance. read more

I made an appointment with Tamara when my babe was only a couple weeks old. It was easy and convenient to book online and she accepted my insurance. Tamara gave me amazing tools to help successfully breastfeed my daughter. I was having a bit of trouble on my left side and Tamara showed me multiple ways to nurse to help me out. The ointment she prescribed me for my wound helped it clear up in a couple weeks and with Tamara's knowledge I am still exclusively breastfeeding my babe. She is almost four months old. I was so anxious about breastfeeding. Tamara was an angel. I send her all my friends with new babies and they love her too. read more

Tamara helped reassure me that my concerns were normal yet nothing to worry about. She answers any question that I may have. I look forward to this BF journey now having her as a supportive provider. I highly recommend Tamara. Thank you!! read more

Tamara Hawkins came through for our family during our hour of need! We are eternally indebted to her for her quick communication and kind support as well as her generous flexibility with scheduling (during a pandemic, no less!). Her sound advice given with the sincerity and authority of someone who's been in the business for a long time was unbelievably reassuring. She helped to advise us to meet the needs of our little boy and allowed us to follow his lead in regards to feedings during his first month of life. I highly recommend Tamara's services for anyone looking for the best lactation consultant in NYC! read more

Tamara was so helpful and knowledgeable during my consultation with her! She really put me at ease and helped me arrive at a feeding plan that works for my baby and me. I highly recommend her! read more

This is a review specifically for Tamara Hawkins' as a lactation consultant. I cannot recommend her highly enough to anyone seeking a bit of support with breastfeeding, be it with a newborn or transitioning back to work/pumping, etc. I needed some help getting my newborn daughter to properly latch and additional help dealing with all the fun issues that accompany one's milk supply showing up -- Tamara gave me detailed tips on how to handle both and, within days, both were well on track. Additionally, Tamara has provided very valuable email support. For anyone who truly wants to breastfeed and is having difficulty or needs some reassurance, please do yourself a favor and call Tamara. She'll show up with her scale, great knowledge and a warm personality and she'll make all your concerns go away. read more

She ghosted me! I had two appointments where Tamara helped me with latch and we made a feeding plan. However, the plan did not work longer than a week past the appointments both times (which is mine and baby's issue) so I requested additional assistance in order to stop breastfeeding. She never answered my questions or helped me through my issues. At my most vulnerable moment when I needed the assistance of a Lactation Consultant. I was full, engorged, with blocked ducts and Miserable. I just needed to stop breastfeeding for my own sanity and safety. In sum, she will help you with whatever she thinks it's right, if she does not agree with your needs or decisions, she will just ignore you. Pay for someone who will help YOU and YOUR needs, don't waste your time. read more

Just so you know, even if your insurance covers you (the mom) Stork and Cradle will ask for your child's insurance (notice appts cannot be made online without child's insurance info AND your personal credit card) and charge them also. YOU will be billed for the remaining balance of the child's participation in the lactation consultation as this is not part of preventative medicine for the baby under insurance (I have Oscar). When my card was charged eighty dollars a few weeks later by Stork and Cradle, I called Oscar. They confirmed they paid out four hundred dollars to the practice and I was responsible for an additional eighty! For what? The only reason why I got into an uber with a 5-day old was because I was under the impression that it was covered by insurance. If I had known my child would be charged also, I would've just hired someone to come to the house much less aggravation, stress, and for less money! I didn't have huge issues breastfeeding so I can't speak for the magic of Tamara, although I did like that she wasn't totally dogmatic like some lactation consultants seem. I am writing this because I found it very misleading upon making the appointment (copied directly from website): "First Lactation Visit with Baby, Private One on One with an IBCLC Initial In-Office Lactation Consultation, Pediatrics of New York 11 E. 86th St NYC (Insurance Billing) 1 hour 30 minutes @ $1.00" IT IS NOT $1.00 at all, but yes they will bill your insurance AND you! I find this intentionally misleading. Even if this is legal because of silly unregulated insurance policies, it's so sad to take advantage of vulnerable moms and babies! It may make more sense to hire someone to come to your house because you will be spending money anyway. read more

I'm so glad that others have had a positive experience with Tamara...but my experience was far from positive. I reached out to Stork and Cradle explicitly for lactation consulting. I'd like to echo another reviewer and say that I found Tamara to be completely devoid of warmth, empathy and basic human kindness for dealing with a new mom desperately trying to breastfeed. I'd received her information from the lactation consultant at the hospital, who was not available to see me due to a ridiculous number of births on the same day. Tamara came to my home two days later and complained from the moment she arrived...parking on the upper West side was hard, she was hot, my Wi-Fi was slow...We didn't start off on a good note, so we decided take a beat. I'd crank the a.c., she'd use the restroom and we'd start over. I can't emphasize how intimidating this process is...you invite a stranger into your home, expose your breasts that are then pushed and shoved around into a newborns screaming mouth a few days after basically pushing a watermelon out of your crotch...nobody is at their best in this situation, so maybe the person who you are paying 300 dollars could approach it with some grace or at least a sense of humor. The majority of our time was spent on Amazon where Tamara showed me biscuits and tea and a straw thing and other items I could buy (and that she'd get a kickback for) to increase my supply. She tried to show me a few holding positions, but my baby was really fussy and nothing worked well. She criticized everything I'd done...using a nipple shield (which was recommended at the hospital), the pump I had (which is literally the pump n style everyone with insurance gets), to how my home was organized. I will never forget the way she told me to "just get up and get dressed and dress your baby" after our failed attempt at breastfeeding. It was devastating to me and will forever color my memory of being a new mom who could not feed my child. I felt incredibly judged and insulted in my home at a very vulnerable time. After a few weeks working with an amazing and kind consultant, I understood that my supply was very low and things were not going to work out for me to primarily breastfeed. I'm not sure why my experience with Tamara was so different than others here...but for anyone considering her services, my experience should also be heard so that you can make the best decision for you and your child. read more

We decided to see Tamara because she takes insurance and was recommended by our pediatrician. We had a great experience over our three appointments. At our first visit, we'd had a few really tough days with breastfeeding and my husband and I were both feeling very stressed. Tamara immediately put us at ease with her friendly and helpful demeanor. She helped reposition me and the baby so he could get a better latch and I could be more comfortable. She ultimately helped us decide to get our little one's tongue and lip ties released and recommended an ENT for the procedure. Everything went well and she provided support and resources before and after the procedure. She has been responsive through the online portal when we've had questions in between appointments, and her receptionist, Tanya, is also very friendly and helpful. read more

I am so glad I met with Tamara Hawkins. She was amazing. I have been struggling with increasing my breast milk for my little one not knowing he wasn't latching properly. She was patient with me and I am happy he's latching perfectly fine. She sent me information to read on about all we discussed about, also looking for location close to my home for my referrals. Thank you Tamara read more

Sadly disappointed in the day-long birthing class. My take away was more fear than tools. I had wanted to learn about relaxation and breathing techniques (Lamaze) but found the class lacking. Information presented in the class contradicted the book. And I get it, you don't want us to have epidurals. read more

Tamara is the real deal! I wasn't sure what to expect. I had lost all confidence in breastfeeding and was feeling exhausted from pumping around the clock. During our first appointment Tamara helped me with the mechanics of breastfeeding. She also weighed our baby before and after feeding to show how much she was actually getting. I was shocked. We discussed scheduling too which was very helpful. Tamara was so thorough and pointed out that our baby has tongue tie which could be complicating things and cause future issues with speech, etc. So far our feeding routine has improved drastically. Tamara was lovely to work with and made herself available by email, etc. in case we had any issues and needed help in between appointments. I highly recommend seeing her! read more

If I could give Tamara Hawkins 10 stars, I would. I found Tamara's contacts online after I have been told by another lactation specialist that my baby was a tongue tie and needed it clipped. My pediatrician did not agree with it and suggested I should see another specialist to get a second opinion. That's how we ended up seeing Tamara. Before that, my 3 week old baby could not latch properly, my breasts hurt so much that I was resenting the feeding time, was breastfeeding a bit through a lot of pain, pumping and giving the baby formula and all of these not even knowing if I was doing the right thing. The lactation specialists from the hospital were giving a different advice every day. I was in so much pain and stress about it and if I hadn't met Tamara, at 3 weeks postpartum my breastfeeding would have failed miserably. From the moment the consultation started, Tamara put us at ease. First of all she carried out thorough checks and confirmed the baby was not a tongue tie and all we needed was to correct the latching technique.She showed me how to do it correctly, gave some very useful tips. Tamara is incredibly professional, caring, patient and knowledgeable. I learned the correct latching method after just 1 hour of consultation with her and I am exclusively breastfeeding since. The baby is gaining weight and it just started coming naturally since. Even if I did not need to see Tamara again, I decided to go for another follow up session and we went through it again where she confirmed that it was all working fine. If you have any problem, pain, doubts, questions about the breastfeeding, Tamara is your breastfeeding angel! I am so thankful. read more

This review is for Tamara Hawkins, Nurse Practitioner and Lactation Consultant. We met with her once for a lactation consult when my daughter was less than a week old. Tamara was efficient, calm and a wealth of information. She provided recommendations that had an immediate positive effect. Also, her office takes my insurance, so it was no additional cost to me. She also offers follow-up through email, which is nice. I highly recommend her. read more

I decided to go to Tamara because she was "supposedly" covered by insurance. Big mistake for following reasons: 1. She did some fake Prolactin test and tried to convince me i need to take illegal drugs to increase my supply and there is no hope for me otherwise. Guess what - i refused to take the drugs and still managed to increase my supply by pumping 2. She told me my sons tongue tie needs to be corrected - unfortunately i took this advice and put my baby through A LOT OF PAIN. Guess what - he developed severe BREAST AVERSION FOR 2 MONTHS because she completely misguided us on how to handle (we were supposed to do bodywork before and do some prep etc which she was supposed to guide us on). At the end of it - i found out that was not even the issue to start with because i finally paid a decent lactation consultant who knew what she was doing 3. I got a $40 bill at the end of this all. She was supposed to be 100% covered but they did some additional billing with strange codes and i ended up with a bill so it was not even a free visit 4. She is extremely impersonal and very slow at responding to emails and questions. You have to try and reach her through some complicated online email portal. All other lactation consultants share their direct phone numbers and emails and are extremely responsive PLEASE PLEASE DONT GO TO HER! Please pay a good lactation consultant for helpful advice vs going to her because she is "supposedly free" (which she isnt). Dont waste precious initial weeks with baby by going to Tamara! read more

Finding and working with Tamara was literally the absolute BEST move I could have made. Less than 2 weeks post delivery, I was engorged & experiencing excruciating pain from breastfeeding. I was in tears at every feeding and on the verge of giving up due to my painful and unsuccessful bouts with feeding my son. Once I met with Tamara, she was kind, patient and focused on getting me over the hump to not only relieve the engorgement, express milk, treat the pain/infection I'd developed and make sure I had the resources and tools to successfully feed my child at home. She also followed up with me several days later to ensure that I was doing well and feeling good. She was AMAZING and I can't recommend her enough! read more

I took the breastfeeding class and saw Tamarah Hawkins for the lactation consultant services for my twins. I was very satisfied with both services. Everybody was so patient, friendly, and informative. I highly recommend stork and cradle! read more

Having tried to book a breastfeeding class for over a week now and I have followed up twice and still nobody has bothered to get back to me, despite two emails and a form filled in with all my insurance details. Waste of time!! read more

Tamara is resourceful and knowledgeable. I have been battling with plug ducts for 3 months and my baby's weight has been falling off the growth chart. Tamara provided me tools and tricks to clear the swollen areas. She also made recommendations for my baby's sleep training and feeding plan. read more

Tamara is awesome! We took all of her classes (the weekend all day birthing class, the infant CPR, the child care and the breast feeding class), and she is the best. We found her to be incredibly knowledgeable, kind, and an excellent teacher. I really feel a lot more confident having a baby now that I have taken these classes. She also really opened up our eyes to multiple birthing options that we hadn't really considered before, and she did so in a way that was never judgmental. She's smart and knows what she is talking about which is exactly what you need when you are a little lost and pregnant with your first little one! The only reason why I am giving 4 stars instead of 5 is because the classes take place in a location with really uncomfortable fold up chairs. My husband was uncomfortable, so you can imagine what it was like for a pregnant woman to sit that long in one of those chairs. read more

Took a three hr baby class with Tamara. Informative on basic info and you get to practice basics like swaddling and diapering. Great advice on products and I like that she believes in "less is more." She's not fazed by cool new gadgets but stresses the importance of practicality and using as little chemicals as possible. Answers questions and has a lot of experience. read more

We made an appointment with Tamara when I was at a loss for how to make breastfeeding work for my son and I. I didn't have my milk coming in and had resorted to formula to calm our very fussy baby. Despite being an emotional new mom, Tamara was patient and informative. She was direct in delivering advice on soothing methods and made herself available to my husband and I as we tried to implement our new skills even through weekends. We are still working through some challenges but have significantly weened off the bottle and my comfort, as well as my sons, is getting better every day. read more

I had the pleasure of attending a child birthing class and can I tell you when I left the class I said to my self " I'm getting pregnant tomorrow". Tamara was just that AMAZING. She is so knowlegable, so engaging and simple cares about your birthing experience being a pleasurable one. She is ensures that you walk away with no question unanswered. My friend ( my reason for attending the class) was extremely happy with the wealth of information she received and couldn't wait to share it all with her husband. read more

This review is for Margot Hodes, who taught our excellent day-long childbirth class (which felt shorter and much more interesting than we had anticipated). She was an engaging and truly knowledgeable speaker and gave us lots of time to practice a variety of stretches and positions to use in labor. Highly recommended! read more

Tamara Hawkins is a lifesaver! My pediatrician recommended her when my 6 day old hadn't latched in days. The baby would scream and cry when I attempted to breastfeed. Tamara came to our home and on the first try (with Tamara's simple guidance) the baby latched perfectly and hasn't had a single issue since. The baby is happy and so is mom. Tamara has followed up with us and is totally available to answer my questions. I'm SO grateful! read more

Tamara is excellent and the class is super educational. My wife and I would definitely recommend Stork & Cradle.

Do yourself a favor and take Tamara's class. She came recommended from my obgyn and my husband and I were so glad we signed up. She is clearly an expert in her field, as well as very warm and easy to talk to...what more could you want?! Thanks again Tamara! read more

I was given Stork and Cradle's information, specifically Tamara's information by my insurance company. I'm really glad I didn't read some of these negative reviews because they would've deterred me. From the person who helped me set up my appointments and through to my actual visits, I had amazing service. Tamara took the time to listen to me and addressed concerns I had. My blocked milk ducts were cured within a week. My daughter even latched on and fed a few times. It wasn't long lived but I think that had more to do with my daughter than Tamara. As of yet, I have not received any additional bills from them. It seems that my insurance has covered it all. If she takes your insurance, give it a shot and work with her to get your desired outcome. :) read more

We learned FAR more from the child birthing class than we ever would have expected. This is a definite MUST do for all new parents (or even as a refresher). Tamara is so knowledgeable and passionate with regard to the subject matter - you know in the first 5 minutes that she really cares and wants only the best birthing experience for all of her clients - HIGHLY recommended. Thank you so so much Tamara for preparing us for the big day! read more

Highly recommend you make sure what your insurance is covering and what Tammera is charging you!! Because she is charging the insurance for you and the baby!! read more

After reading good reviews I decided to take some classes here. The breastfeeding class with Tamara had a lot of good information and she was very knowledgeable. Every piece of information was useful, including brands she recommends for various things. She also had props to do demos. So far this was my favorite class, and I highly recommend it. Book with Tamara only. Also, the Yogi Beans location is so much more comfortable than the one on 33 & Madison, you sit on the floor here with lots of pillows and blankets. Many women came by themselves, but two of us brought our husbands along and I am glad I did. Its a lot of info, so it helps if someone else can remember. Also, men need to know the trouble we women go through! I took the child care and safety class with Maureen. The location was 33 & Madison, very uncomfortable to sit on the chairs for such a long time. The class was okay. Someone else I spoke to also took the child care class and liked it a lot (not sure if she took Maureen's class), for me it was very disappointing. First of all, it was very repetitive, a lot of information could have been condensed. The first hour passed by like that. We did learn how to tie a diaper, swaddle, bathe the baby, and the process at hospitals after the baby is born. A lot of the information about hospitals is online and I didn't find it that necessary to take a class for it. In addition, I come from a different country and swaddling, bathing, and other styles shown here are so standard in my country that having my mother over is enough for me to learn. I guess if someone is not expecting help from say a parent, it makes sense to learn these things, but for me I already knew all this information. As for diapers, the nurse in the hospital can teach you that as well. So overall the class didn't deliver as much as I expected. The person conducting didn't have that much knowledge outside of the topics she had prepared, and didn't really give recommendations on brands, etc. For example, Tamara knew everything about breastfeeding including brands for nursing pads, bottles, she also gave recommendations on nanny agencies, etc. This teacher didn't really know much beyond the topics she had prepared. Since she herself is a post-partum nurse, her knowledge was more about the hospital process. So overall I was disappointed with this class and in hindsight could have skipped it or taken one that Tamara conducts if any. I also took the twins class. The location again was 33 & Madison, but slightly more comfortable than child care because we were given pillows and extra chairs to put up our feet. It was good - Tamara has a wealth of knowledge and each time I attend her class I feel like there is so much good information and its hard to keep track. She touched upon medications, premies, birthing aspects related to twins and multiples, postpartum, breastfeeding, etc. I really liked Tamara's classes and highly recommend signing up with her. They get sold out VERY quickly, I had to book well in advance. In fact, I waited for the weekend to book one class and when I checked two days later, it was completely sold out. So book fast! I didn't get a chance to do the childbirth class so cannot speak to it. read more

My wife and I took the childbirth preparation class at the 33rd and Madison location and would recommend it to anyone. It was a long day and a lot of information to absorb but the mix of videos, demonstrations, illustrations and exercises kept it interesting and the instructor was fantastic (very knowledgeable, funny and eager to answer everyone's questions). read more

I came to Tamara for a private lactation consultation, and she was incredibly helpful. I am a new mom to a 2.5 week old baby boy - we have been experiencing breastfeeding challenges, and after only one session with Tamara, my son is eating much better, growing, and getting the nutrition he needs. Tamara gives incredibly understandable, practical, straightforward advice, and she has an overall warm and friendly demeanor to boot. I highly recommend Tamara to any new moms in need of breastfeeding support! read more

My husband and I took the 4-week Childbirth Prep class with Tamara and were extremely impressed. Tamara has a wealth of knowledge, is confident and approachable. The class was very empowering and we both feel that it has helped to prepare us for labor and delivery. I would highly recommend this class to expectant parents. Thank you Tamara for the gift of your knowledge and experience! read more