Help Bring Free Breastfeeding Services to the Gulf Coast

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As of May 1, 2025, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Alabama ended its partnership with The Lactation Network (TLN), which had provided one of the only billing pathways for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) in the state. This partnership had allowed International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs)—including Scotty Thomson, RN, BSN, IBCLC, Founder of Gulf Coast Lactation (cc’d here)—to serve BCBS clients through TLN’s billing platform. This change left the majority of Gulf Coast families without affordable, insurance-covered access to breastfeeding services—impacting more than 80% of Gulf Coast Lactation’s clients and putting vital prenatal and postpartum care even further out of reach.

Without TLN or a direct physician-based contract, IBCLCs like Scotty Thomson, RN, BSN, IBCLC—who are not independently recognized as billable providers by most major insurers—can no longer be reimbursed through BCBS. Families are now required to pay entirely out of pocket, creating a serious barrier to care for many.

In response, Gulf Coast Lactation, led by Thomson, is stepping up to meet this urgent need. As a nonprofit organization, we are committed to offering FREE breastfeeding services to families across the Gulf Coast—before and after birth. Meeting with an IBCLC during pregnancy and postpartum builds confidence, ensures your baby is feeding well, and gives you the expert support you need to feel informed, empowered, and never alone.

“Every family deserves access to compassionate, expert lactation care—regardless of income or insurance. But when Blue Cross Blue Shield ended its partnership with The Lactation Network, thousands of families lost access to International Board Certified Lactation Consultants overnight. Even before this change, many women faced barriers to outpatient lactation care due to restrictive insurance billing policies. We’re working to close that gap—because feeding your baby should never depend on your income or insurance card.”
— Scotty Thomson, RN, BSN, IBCLC

We are thrilled to announce the upcoming opening of the Gulf Coast Lactation Center in Daphne, AL, coming August 2025. This safe space will provide free, in-person prenatal and postpartum lactation support—but we can’t do it without you.

We’re working toward a $25,000 fundraising goal to open our doors and keep them open for every family in need.

Prize Draw for Gulf Coast Lactation Center

By Gulf Coast Lactation

Prize Draw for Gulf Coast Lactation Center

Prizes with Purpose: Supporting Breastfeeding Families