2020 brought some highs and lows, here are Nurture’s 2020 highlights:
- Became in-network providers with Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield
- Mastered the art of Virtual Consultations for Covid-19 initial shutdowns, and have incorporated this as a permanent service offered (10% of 2020 consultations were virtual)
- Developed Safety Protocols to continue In-Home Consultations once Ohio reopened in May
- Cancelled all in-person Workshops. We especially miss our in-person TummyTime!™ Method Workshop Series, and look forward to the day when we can bring this back!
- Created pre-recorded versions of Workshops and made them available for FREE
- Allyson continued as President of Ohio Lactation Consultant Association, and has been busy advocating for insurance coverage and equitable access to lactation care for all. She published “Lactation Care: Advocating for Equitable Access at the Ohio Department of Medicaid” in the Journal of Clinical Lactation along with two colleagues.
- Julie began continuing education “Herbal Support in Lactation and Infant Care for the Health Professional.” She also has worked to develop Nurture’s protocol for Inducing Lactation, Relactation, and Co-feeding.
We hope to continue making progress with insurance companies this year, specifically focusing our efforts on advocating for Medicaid coverage. Our goal is and has always been to make quality in-home care available to all! We look forward to conferences and continuing to build our expertise. Most importantly, we are grateful for another year ahead to support Columbus families!
About the author: Julie Oberholzer is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) with Nurture Columbus, in Columbus, Ohio. With her background in Public Health and Lactation, she enjoys meeting with parents and new babies, helping them on their feeding journey and supporting them as they find their new normal.