What can I expect at my appointment?

• Appointments are 45 minutes long and available in person, virtually or by telephone.
• The nurse will talk to you about your feeding history, your health history, your feeding goals and any challenges or concerns you may be having.  
• You will be offered the option to have your baby weighed.  
• The nurse can observe a feed and help with latching and positioning techniques. 
• At your appointment, the nurse can answer questions you may have, such as: 
  • How to engage your partner or other support persons to help you to feed your baby. 
  • How to know if your baby is getting enough breastmilk, and what you can do if you have concerns. 
  • What cues to watch for to know if your baby is hungry or full. 
  • How and when pumping may work for you. 
  • What to plan for if you wish to return to work while continuing to breastfeed. 
  • At the end of the appointment, the nurse may provide you with a plan to maximize your feeding goals and can schedule another appointment if needed. 
• Our nurses can also make a referral to other community services and programs if needed. 
• Our nurses cannot prescribe medications or make a diagnosis. 

How can I prepare for my appointment?

• Please be prepared and arrive 15 minutes early (to allow for parking and/or your appointment check in). 
• Bring your hospital discharge papers with you if your baby is under a month old.  
• Bring any records you have for tracking feedings and wet and dirty diapers.  
• If you would like, be ready to feed your baby.  
• If you would like, a support person is welcome to join.  
• Have your questions ready.  

For virtual or phone appointments: 

• If possible, find a private and quiet place for the appointment. 
• Let us know if there is anyone else listening in to the appointment.  
• Have a pen and paper ready, if you want to take notes. 
• If you want the nurse to watch a feed, let a support person know you may need some help setting up or holding the camera. 
• A stable internet connection on your smartphone or computer with a camera and a microphone are needed for a virtual appointment. 

More information about virtual and telephone appointments

Virtual and telephone appointments allow you to speak with a public health nurse in the comfort of your own home. When you book a virtual appointment, you will receive a link to the video call in a confirmation email. At the time of your appointment, you can click on the link to view the nurse. If you are unable to access the video platform, the nurse will call you by phone.  

Virtual care is not a substitute for in-person communication or assessment by a public health nurse. Some health concerns and questions can be addressed by virtual care alone. If this is not the case, the nurse may recommend an in-person assessment or refer you to another health care provider or the emergency department.  

Region of Waterloo Public Health uses a secure virtual care network called Ocean. All efforts will be made to ensure the information you provide us during a virtual assessment is private and secure, but no video or audio tool is considered completely secure. There is an increased security risk that your health information may be disclosed to a third party or intercepted. To help keep your information safe and secure, you can use a private computer or device and a secure internet connection.

Additional resources

• Breastfeeding Buddies Peer Support 
• Feeding your baby
• Online Prenatal Program