Our Services for all
non-patients
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What is community milk sharing?
There are two very common dilemmas with breastfeeding parents: extra milk and low milk supply.
One timeless solution for both of these issues has been milk sharing. Shared human milk can optimize infant health and nutrition, while profoundly strengthening social bonds and community resilience. But many parents do not know another breastfeeding parent or do not feel comfortable asking for such intimate help. Moreover, parents want basic assurance that milk from another parent is safe. Their healthcare practitioners want this, too.
Bloom Community Milk Sharing is an informed choice model of human milk sharing that facilitates donor lab testing, safety education and health screening, and accessibility to local infants, with priority given to those under 3 months of age.
Donors are screened with bloodwork to evaluate for illnesses that could pass through human milk. If donor’s have had pregnancy labs drawn (which does not include HTLV I/II) within a year of pumped milk, those will also be accepted.
Medications are disclosed and evaluated for safety in human milk utilizing The Infant Risk Center database
This is a place to donate your milk that you know will be used by infants who need it
This is a place for parents to get breastmilk for their child in a much safer way than meeting someone they meet online.
How does it work?
It starts with filling out the form below. You may have an over-full freezer, over-supply, under-supply, personal illness or be experiencing tragic loss. Maybe you're waiting for your milk to come in and your baby needs supplementation.
Dr. Hughes will contact you about your request. Read through all documents that apply to you and sign all consents and waivers.
If you are a donor, Dr. Hughes will provide you with an order for the lab testing and the donor health screening form if indicated. Labs are performed at Labcorp or Quest and are processed through insurance. If you are uninsured but would still like to donate, please choose “uninsured” below. We cover lab costs for all donors.
If you are a recipient, milk is available on a first-come, first-served basis and infants under 3 months are prioritized. Supply always depends upon availability - please help by spreading the word!
In order to cover the costs of labs, time, and materials of maintaining the community milk sharing, there is a charge of $0.75 per ounce to be paid by recipients prior to or at the time of pickup.
Community milk is NOT pasteurized. You can pasteurize donor milk on your stove-top by following these easy flash-heat pasteurization instructions.
Forms/Documents
All forms are filled out on a HIPAA compliant platformDonor Guidelines for Pumping and Handling
Donor History and Statement of Health
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As we have had a significant number of no shows (which means we lose spots for our patients) we will be charging a $20 non-refundable fee in order to schedule an appointment. This will be applied to your ear piercing price.
Ear piercing is available to anyone 2 months or older who have had at least their first set of immunizations!
The Blomdahl Medical Ear Piercing System is available only to physicians
Only medical grade plastic or medical grade titanium piercing studs are used. No risk of nickel allergy
Two piercings can be done simultaneously when age/child appropriate
Please note that after 10 months children are more prone to picking at earrings which make them more susceptible to infection.
Our doctors will only pierce earlobes in infants and young children. We will pierce cartilage for individuals age 15 years and over. We cannot pierce two piercings right next to each other at the same visit in order to accurately place each piercing and allow for proper healing.
The cost is $100 for a pair and $50 for each additional piercing. This includes the piercing and studs.
Numbing cream is available for an additional $10.
Piercing can be done in your home for an additional $100 pending availability and proximity to office.
Payment is due in full prior to the procedure. We accept Venmo, cards, or cash.
Consent form for minors (17 years and under)
Consent form for adults (18 years and older)
Risks
Infection--There is a risk of infection anytime the skin is broken. We reduce this risk significantly by using sterile technique. The Blomdahl Medical Ear Piercing System utilizes sterile, single-use piercing cassettes. This also eliminates any cross-contamination because only the sterile, single-use part of the equipment ever comes in contact with the skin at the piercing site. We also provide specific After-Care Instructions to keep the piercing clean and healthy during the healing process.
Pain--Even without numbing cream the pain is brief and similar to a vaccine injection using the Blomdahl system. Some patients may complain of a warm, flushed feeling on their earlobes after the procedure. Numbing cream is available to further reduce the pain if so desired for an additional $10.
Bleeding--There is a risk of bleeding anytime the skin is broken. However, the earlobes do not contain significant blood vessels so that this risk is minimal.
Nickel Allergy--Allergic Contact Dermatitis is an itchy rash that occurs when your skin comes in contact with a typically harmless substance. Nickel is one of the most common causes, and once you develop a nickel allergy, you will always be sensitive to it. Nickel is commonly used as a metal hardener and most metals used for ear piercing contain or "leak" enough nickel to trigger a potential allergic reaction. Fresh piercings allow direct and constant contact between a minor open wound and the metal which contains the nickel. However, the Blomdahl Ear Piercing studs utilize only medical grade plastic or medical grade titanium, the most superior non-allergenic metal, thereby eliminating this risk.
Keloids--Keloids are shiny, smooth and rounded skin elevations, which are a type of scar tissue, which can form at the piercing site in some patients after the earlobe piercing because of altered wound healing. Keloids tend to run in some families, are more likely to occur in patients with darker skin pigmentation, and generally occur in people 10 to 30 years of age. Please inform us if your child has any health conditions that could cause excessive bleeding, difficulty fighting infections or keloid scar formation.
It is recommended to keep the piercing studs in earlobes for 2 months before changing and 3 months in cartilage. The ear piercings studs we use are thicker (1.3 mm) than the standard earring post (1.0 mm). The larger piercing hole makes it easier to switch to normal earrings after the healing period and reduces the risk of repeatedly re-injuring the ear-piercing site when replacing earrings, which should therefore reduce the risk of piercing site infection.
We recommend avoidance of swimming for at least 72 hours, but preferably 2-3 weeks as this can delay healing and increase risk for infection.
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Symptoms of tongue tie can be:
Painful latch
Cracked / bleeding / bruised nipples
Poor weight gain
Difficulty lifting tongue to roof of mouth or extending past the gums
Heart shaped tongue
Frequent and inefficient feeds
After evaluating your infant’s latch and oral cavity, we will be able to determine if your infant has a tongue tie and will discuss if a frenotomy (tongue tie release) could help.
The procedure
We uses scissors. It is a quick procedure that can have immediate benefits!
Anterior and posterior release are available
We do recommend either working with your own lactation consultant or also scheduling a lactation visit with Dr. Hughes for further discussion and management of breastfeeding after release.
Children must be 8 weeks or younger for us to perform the procedure.
Vitamin K injection is required prior to procedure. Oral Vitamin K is not an accepted alternative.
Price is $400 for non-members
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What’s included (if indicated):
A 30-90 minute appointment, depending on need
A thorough history of both parent and baby
An evaluation of the infants mouth and suck pattern, including an assessment for tongue tie
Weighted feeds
Evaluation of latch and positioning
A personalized feeding plan
Information on different ways to supplement, if needed
Discussion and treatment of common breastfeeding issues such as
Thrush
Mastitis
Vasospasm
Engorgement
Pumping information and plans, including correct flange size and fit
2 weeks of virtual follow up via text or video chat
Any additional questions!
Initial visit is $300
Follow up visit is $200
Please fill out the form below and Dr. Hughes will contact you to get scheduled!
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Evaluations are completed by our team over at Comprehensive Home Autism Testing (CHAT) KC.
Our exceptional multidisciplinary team comprised of a speech language pathologist, occupational therapist, board-certified behavioral analyst, and a board-certified pediatrician will ensure your child is being accurately diagnosed and then formulate a plan that is specific to your child and their needs. Autism evaluations are completed in your home if you are within our driving range and in our office at Bloom if not. You can learn more going to our website below.
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G-tube, NG-tube, and bottle weaning are offered as services over at Wean To Thrive.
Our team of experts help guide your family and child toward your ultimate feeding goals while prioritizing making oral intake enjoyable.
You can learn more about these services by clicking the button below.
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Circumcising your child is a decision that must be made by your family. There is some evidence that the benefit (decreased risk of UTIs early on in life and decreased risk of penile cancer and STIs later on in life) outweighs the risk of the procedure. This benefit is not enough to recommend routine circumcision, however. This is a very personal decision and not one we believe in influencing one way or the other. We offer this procedure to those who choose it.
The procedure:
Dr. VanGundy completely numbs the area with lidocaine and performs the procedure using the Plastibell method.
•Children must be 4 weeks or younger for Dr. VanGundy to perform the procedures.
Vitamin K injection is required prior to procedure. Oral Vitamin K is not an accepted alternative.
Price is $600 for non-members
Procedure can be completed in your home for an additional $100