Newness is, as we know, not a new feeling for military families. New assignments, new areas, new homes. And growing our families during all that newness doesn’t stop either. So then we add this new baby to the mix and whether it’s your first or your fourth, he or she is still, new!
Not every baby feeds the same and as soon as you think you have it all figured out, it can all change. This was my experience with my second baby girl and when she was around 5 months old, I wanted support. She was changing, getting ready for solids, and my supply was also changing. Thankfully, this year, TRICARE began covering 6 FREE, virtual consults with the baby feeding experts over at SimpliFed.
With nothing to lose, I began the process of getting set up with my first consult. I felt a huge sigh of relief knowing that I didn’t have to coordinate around naps or what to do for childcare for an appointment. I know that sometimes, even with all that aside, discussing baby feeding can make parents feel vulnerable and uncomfortable so I wanted to walk through my experience with SimpliFed so that if you are in that position, you can feel at ease!
The Setup
I texted BOOB to 888-458-1364 and within 10 minutes received a text to set up an appointment. Part of the setup process is a short form you can quickly fill out on your phone. You will need your military-dependent ID to plug in your benefits number.
I have to shout out the SimpliFed teams’ amazing service. As a mom of 2 littles, I am a notoriously bad texter at the moment. Their team was great at sending me kind follow-ups in a timely manner to any messages that had gone unanswered by me.
I was able to make an appointment for that week (scheduled on a Tuesday for that Friday) at a time that 100% worked for my schedule.
The Appointment
10 minutes before my appointment, I received a secure link via email and was easily able to get on with my personal baby-feeding expert! We chatted about everything and anything I was concerned about and felt safe, validated, and educated by the end of it. Whether it was a tip that she shared, or just her way of affirming how I was going about feeding my daughter, she put me totally at ease.
Post-Appointment
Again, the service from SimpliFed is next-level, so I received an email with notes of what we discussed during my appointment. Truly, they thought of everything with fresh moms in mind!
More about SimpliFed
SimpliFed provides inclusive baby feeding support whether you are breastfeeding, formula feeding, pumping, or some combination with services available in 5 languages, including English and Spanish.
They are here to support you, without judgment, based on what works for you, your mental health, and your family. SimpliFed vets their providers so families can feel confident they are getting a high level of care in a non-judgmental environment
TRICARE now covers breastfeeding support at no cost for military families via SimpliFed! Starting at 27 weeks of pregnancy, you are eligible for up to six visits with our baby feeding experts.
If you are a soon-to-be mom, a new mom, or a mom again, I cannot recommend adding SimpliFed to your prenatal/postpartum checklist!
This post was made in partnership with SimpliFed
