Home visits
During the pandemic we’ve all perfected our use of virtual visits. This should be the first method used to address breastfeeding issues not resolved by phone, email, and texts.
If, however, an in-person visit is needed and agreeable to the NMC counselor, here are the new guidelines NMC counselors must follow. If possible, an outdoor visit may be preferable to an indoor one.
Home visits will only be made to vaccinated households who have received boosters.
All individuals present in the home while a counselor is there must be vaccinated and boosted.
Home visits should be avoided in counties considered high risk
Counselor should follow all guidelines set forth by the Dept. of Public Health.
Only fully vaccinated and boosted counselors (2 weeks past last vaccine) may make home visits.
Proof of vaccination and boosters must be entered in Wild Apricot.
All NMC counselors are to view these 2 brief videos on proper masking and hand hygiene:
Proper mask wearing video | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adB8RW4I3o4
Handwashing video |
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LAcnWyOJgJ0 (video)
Handwashing/sanitizing pdf | https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/pdf/HandSanitizer-p.pdf
Prior to the visit, counselors should contact the family by phone or email with the following screening questions. If the answer to any of these questions is “yes” (by the contact or counselor), the home visit should be avoided.
Questions your NMC counselor will ask you
Have you and all members of your household been vaccinated and boosted (if appropriate for age group)? This is required for an in-person home visit.
Do you or anyone in your household have a pending COVID-19 test?
Have you or anyone in your household tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 4 weeks?
In the last 2 weeks, have your or anyone in your household had fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, muscle aches, sore throat, runny nose, headache, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea, or new loss of the senses of smell or taste?
In the last 2 week, have your or someone in your household had close contact with someone with a positive COVID-19 test or with the above symptoms of illness?
In the last 2 weeks, have you or anyone in your household traveled to an area with high or very high risk for COVID-19 according to the CDC travel advisories: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/noticescovid19
If there is a change to your answers to these questions before the home visit, please notify the counselor.
NMC counselors will provide the following information
I am fully vaccinated and boosted.
If you or anyone in your household experiences any symptoms that may indicate a COVID-19 infection, please contact me to reschedule. View the current CDC symptoms list here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html
I will wear an N-95, KN95, or 2 surgical masks that have a snug fit around my mouth and nose and ask all individuals ages two and over who are in the space to do so as well.
I will wash and/or sanitize my hands before the session. Please have soap and water, and a clean or disposable towel available for my use. I will bring alcohol-based hand sanitizer. I wash and/or sanitize my hands again before donning non-latex medical gloves for anyhands-on contact.
Any equipment I bring is either brand new or sanitized before use.
You may choose to meet outdoors or open windows and/or doors to increase air-flow. I will maintain distancing as feasible, unless there is a need for hands-on assistance.
I request that only the lactating parent, the infant(s), and one other adult be present, unless that presents a hardship to the household.
If a counselor tests positive for COVID-19 or develops symptoms of the virus in the 10 days following the home visit, she will notify the family of possible exposure.
Schedule a home visit
Please choose the region closest to your home. Visits usually last about one hour. If there are no home visits available in your area at this time, please schedule a phone consultation.