Unfortunately, the Australian Government has not made provisions for Lactation Consultants to get a Medicare Provider number. This means that the fees for private lactation consultants cannot be reimbursed through Medicare. We are currently trying to address this with the appropriate organisation.
Please remember that the aim of breastfeeding is to ensure that your baby is getting enough milk to grow and be healthy and that you are comfortable during feeding. If there are serious concerns that your baby is not putting on sufficient weight and appears hungry or possibly even becoming dehydrated, then the primary goal of breastfeeding is not being achieved.
I am duty bound to advocate for your baby as he/she is unable to speak and tell you what is needed. My philosophy is – “Feed the Baby while we work on fixing what we can”. I will never use formula unnecessarily and will always discuss this with you to ensure that you understand all the implications.