Beth asks,

<< I have been trying to get a new private practice off the ground and am
 wondering if any of you visit moms in the hospital and did  you need to
 obtain approval to see them there?  I requested that I be able to see [my
 patients only] after delivery, but the hospital says I must be
 credentialed first (have physician backup, show educational background,
 etc.  and pay a $350. application fee).  >>

If you are going in to see a mother/baby other than a regular visitor, yes,
you must obtain approval to see them there.  I'm not sure how you can see
"your patients" -- have they contracted with you prior to delivery?  The
physician back up would be either the mom's doc or the baby's doc because they
are the people to whom you are going to report your findings and your
recommendations.  I've never heard of this application fee.  Who all have to
pay it and why?

You have a couple of options:  If there are open visiting hours, and babies
are allowed in the mother's room during visiting hours, meaning anyone can
handle the baby, then you can go in and see the mother as an invited visitor.
Anyone can help her breastfeed -- grandma, Aunt Jane, cousin Harold.....you
get my drift.  Or, you can simply touch base with her by phone, answer any
questions she may have at that point, and then arrange to do a home visit a
couple of days after d/c.  If there is a hospital lactation program, let them
do their thing, and you take over after d/c.  Depending upon the extent of the
lactation program -- do they do outpatients?  Have a rental station?  you may,
in fact, be cutting into their profitability.  I wouldn't pay any sort of
application fee -- I think that is -- well, never mind what I was going to
say.  It was rather rude.

Good luck!

Jan -- in sunny Wheaton.