We recently connected with Katie Skaggs and Kelsey Carroll and have shared our conversation below.
Katie and Kelsey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today We’d love to hear the backstory of how you established your own practice.
The establishment of Coming Home RVA started with two co-workers (Katie & Kelsey) turned friends with a shared passion for supporting the postpartum journey. We met working as bedside RNs at VCU Health on the Mother/Infant Unit and both pursued our IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) certification together. We served on unit-based and hospital-wide lactation committees and found ourselves immersed in lactation specific projects and staff education. In conjunction with staff education, a large part of our role as RNs and IBCLCs was patient education including postpartum care, newborn care and infant feeding. We so enjoyed the precious first days of caring for our families, but often wondered what happened once they were home?
As mothers ourselves, we both experienced the struggle of the early weeks home with our babies, especially with breastfeeding. Katie was fortunate to have a friend from the hospital (who was an IBCLC) come to her house to help her, and that was such a pivotal moment in her breastfeeding experience. It was in that moment that Katie realized both how important this work is and what a future impact she could have on families in offering in-home care. On the other hand, Kelsey experienced what we feel many first time mothers experience when they go home…………….the overwhelming feeling of “I don’t even know what I don’t know”. Without an additional support system, she felt she had to figure it out on her own.
The inception of Coming Home RVA is rooted in our personal experiences, as well as the stories of the families we have cared for and the accounts shared by our friends and relatives. We recognized that while there were other lactation resources in Richmond, VA, few offered in-home care. Our goal was to revive the village mentality in postpartum care, providing personalized and supportive services directly in the homes of new parents.
So we had a dream, but then how to make it happen? Without a background in business, we felt overwhelmed by the prospect of becoming entrepreneurs. With time and research, we gradually began building our business. We met with other business owners, consulted with lactation consultants providing in-home care across the country, and forged connections within our community. Over a six-month period, we delved into things we had never done before……building a website, finding a charting platform, researching liability insurance, writing employee contracts, ordering supplies, setting up a payroll system, finding an accountant and lawyer we trusted, and finally creating our business logo (and why was that part so hard).
A key challenge we have faced in our business as caretakers and nurses is maintaining boundaries to ensure we have a healthy work/life balance. For anyone considering starting their own practice, don’t be afraid to reach out to other entrepreneurs in your community as they can be such a valuable resource. We also recommend getting a business phone =)
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Coming Home provides concierge-level care in the women’s health field with a special focus on lactation consultation and infant feeding. Our mission is to empower women and families by providing evidenced-based practice to create customized breastfeeding plans. Our approach is designed to help you build confidence and trust even at the most vulnerable times. While research shows the immense benefits of human milk, we believe that health and mental wellbeing comes first and we remain accepting of each person’s unique goals and challenges. We want to make your life easier and calmer by addressing any anxiety or fear you may have. We will meet you where you are physically, mentally, and emotionally in the comfort of your own home.
Services we offer: In-home and virtual lactation consultations, supportive feeding and swallowing therapy (bottle feeding, transition to solids, tongue/lip tie support), Craniosacral Fascial Therapy, postpartum doula services.
Team members: 4 IBCLCs (all RNs), 1 SLP (speech language pathologist), 1 CPD (certified postpartum doula).
Lactation common areas of focus include: Painful or shallow latch, positioning while nursing, low milk supply/oversupply, engorgement/mastitis, pumping/flange fitting, returning to work, NICU/premature birth, weaning.
SLP common areas of focus include: Oral function assessment and treatment, tethered oral tissues (TOTs); pre/post frenotomy/frenectomy (tongue/lip tie release) care, ongoing feeding challenges at breast or bottle (gas, swallowing air, clicking at breast/bottle), Acid reflux/GERD management, delayed feeding associated with premature birth, poor weight gain, coughing/choking/gagging during feeding, medically complex feeders (including craniofacial differences, chromosomal abnormalities, tracheostomy dependence), oral aversion, feeding tube dependence, transition to solids via purées or baby led weaning (BLW).
Postpartum Doula common areas of focus include: Newborn care. physical support of mother’s recovery, baby care tips and general feeding education, emotional support, bottle & pump parts washing, light housework, meal prep, laundry, providing resources for needs beyond my scope, guidance for partners and care of siblings if applicable.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
In a little over 2 years of Coming Home RVA offering in-home care, we have conducted nearly 2,000 appointments. From our inception, there has been a steady increase in our appointment requests. We have become a household name for lactation and feeding support in Richmond, Virginia, and the go-to-team for in-home care. We attribute our success to providing nonjudgmental care, meeting families where they are (physically, mentally, emotionally), offering diverse services, and actively engaging with our community. We have become a trusted ally with local pediatricians, OBGYNs, midwives, dentists, chiropractors, occupational therapists, and physical therapists. We pride ourselves on being approachable, professional, research-based, and passionate about finding new ways to support and help the families we serve.
Do you think you’d choose a different profession or specialty if you were starting now?
If we could go back in time, we would absolutely choose the same profession. Though we started in different areas of nursing and have worked in various environments, whether in hospitals or pediatric office settings, all of that has led us to where we are today. It has been incredibly rewarding to help families in their homes. It never gets old to see a baby latch for the first time, a dad offer his first bottle, or a sibling snuggle up next to mom while she’s nursing her baby, with the family dog sitting by their feet.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.cominghomerva.com
- Instagram: @cominghomerva
- Facebook: cominghomerva
Image Credits
Lindsey Martin Photography