SEE more PATIENTS,
HELP more FAMILIES

You deliver crucial care — we’ll handle the rest. Join our network of IBCLCs today.

The Many benefits of Joining TLN

TLN is free to join and actively supports you in growing your practice. By investing in your success, we help ensure that more families have access to your essential care — and that every kind of care provider can thrive.

More access

TLN works with insurance payers to provide coverage for your services, so more families have access to essential care.

More consultations

We can generally cover three or more lactation consultations per patient, allowing you to set your patients up for success—and build more meaningful patient relationships.

Handles insurance

We take care of insurance billing, providing peace of mind to you and your patients. No surprise bills, we’ve got them covered.

Predictable income

We pay our network of IBCLCs weekly no matter what. No paperwork, insurance confusion, or clawbacks—just financial security.

Tools and resources

As a TLN IBCLC you get free marketing support, dedicated business coaching, and helpful resources, including free access to The Melanated Mammary Atlas.

There for you

Our dedicated Lactation Consultant Relations provides customer support for common questions around our services, billing, and more, with compassionate expertise.

You don’t have to do this alone

Establishing, maintaining, and growing a lactation practice all by yourself can be more difficult than you bargained for. Our on-staff IBCLCs know this all too well. You deserve more support — so we have your back.

Running your practice without TLN

Operating a sustainable IBCLC practice on your own can be a struggle, often involving months of waiting for insurance applications to process, billing headaches and unpredictable income, and leaving you with less time to spend with the patients who need you.

Growing your practice with TLN

You can rest assured that you and your patients are covered. With access to more follow-up visits for your patients and reliable weekly payments for you, you can spend your time where it matters most: Providing essential care and continuity to your patients.

JOINING TLN IS simple

We’re here to help you as you navigate the sign-up process. TLN is free to join and only has a few requirements, including:

An IBCLC credential

You need an active IBCLC Credential Number (L-#) from the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.

Liability insurance

You’ll need professional liability insurance to protect you and your patients. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us and we can share a list of commonly used providers.

Payer credentialing

In order to join TLN, you will need to undergo routine background checks and a CAQH provider ID. CAQH is an online database for healthcare providers that allows our insurance partners to access credentialing information. Once you request to join TLN, we will guide you through this process by providing step-by-step instructions.

Get more info

TLN has given me the greatest sense of stability and pride to heights that I could have never reached alone billing to insurance companies."

M. Rachael Birkenhauer, IBCLC Owner, Lactation Counseling Services

I can't tell you how pleased I am to be a part of your network! 5 moms have reached out and all have qualified."

Stephanie Gable, RN, IBCLC Gulf Coast Breastfeeding Center, LLC

My practice is thriving and TLN has been an amazing contributor to that. "

Emily Ager, IBCLC Founder, Lactation Consultant

As a small business owner I wanted to THANK EVERY ONE OF YOU!!! My relationship with TLN has been nothing but positive and smooth."

Kathy Bradley, CD, ICCE, IBCLC CEO/Owner Childbirth Concierge

TLN IN numbers

We’re not just a network, we’re a movement. And we’re making a meaningful impact.

300,000+

The number of lactation consultations we’ve billed for our IBCLCs since our first visit in 2016

98%

Retention rate for IBCLCs in our network

1,700+

5-star reviews from patients

97%

Of TLN patients would recommend us to a friend

Yes. We believe in the power of expert care and thus work exclusively with IBCLCs – the gold standard professional certification in the lactation discipline. Knowing that an IBCLC must log hundreds of clinical hours, pass a rigorous examination, and complete dozens of hours of continuous education annually to retain their certifications provides a level of confidence in the care that you provide to families each day.
At TLN, an important part of our mission is to remove the burden of insurance billing on behalf of our IBCLCs, allowing you to focus on providing care and growing your practice. Since standard coding and fees are not yet established for lactation services, we are continuously and rigorously updating our coding regime and billing practices to meet the latest guidance from insurers.
Not yet, but that is our goal.
We are diligently working on partnership arrangements with insurance carriers to become part of their networks. Above all else, we believe that lactation care is a right, not a privilege.
In our model, we assume the risk of getting no or low pay outs and pay our lactation consultants a flat predictable rate in advance of our payment from the insurance provider.
As you know, every visit with a patient can be different and have unique challenges. A typical IBCLC lactation visit lasts 90 minutes and it’s common for parents to need three to six visits within the baby’s first year of life. Learn more about what you can expect to experience during a lactation consultation with a TLN IBCLC in this video.
Explanation of Benefits (EOBs) are sent out often and we know that it can lead to confusion and concern from patients. We are happy to field any concerns around EOBs. Our typical response to patients is to reassure them that the EOB is NOT a bill and that they will not pay anything out-of-pocket.