Hi All!

Guess what I got to do tonite?!  Well, I'll tell ya!
I went out to my friends store to watch her teach a BF and the Active Woman
class.  I'm going to be teaching my first BF class in a few weeks and wanted
some pointers.  About 15 min into the class we got a call from a poor gal who
was in tears and frantic.  She was very engorged, and couldn't get the baby
to L-O , baby had only eaten 2 times and was jaundiced.  Karen had me talk to
her to get the full story and give her basic over the phone help, but when I
took her info, it was clear to me that she really needed to come in, even tho
the store was closed and a class was being taught.  Karen said I could bring
her in and take of her!   So I got eveything ready and took her to the
consult room as soon as she got there.  We got her pumping, boy was she
engorged!  Discoloration was beginning, swollen into the arm pits.  She had,
what looked to me, like the beginnings of mastitis in both breasts (Karen
confirmed this at the end of the consult).  She was a wreck and desperately
in need of calming down, so I did what I do best... I started to chat.  We
chatted about babies, and hubbys, labor pains and birthing.  We chatted about
sleep, and the lack thereof, and a bunch of other things.  Pretty soon we
were laughing and joking too.  She was leaking like crazy on the breast that
wasn't being pumped!  Dare I say she relaxed a bit?  In with all this
chatting I threw in helpful hints about breast massage, positioning of baby,
L-O and how to wake a sleepy baby.  After she had been pumping for about an
hour (we did get both sides) we woke up baby by doing the dolls eyes
technique.  Worked like a charm!  He was pretty disorganised at breast though
at first.  I thought real quick, and ran out and asked Karen where her peri
syringes were.  I got one, filled it with milk, squirted milk on baby's mouth
and momma's breast and within 3 tries, he was on and feeding like a champ!  I
brought Karen in, who by that time was done with her class, and she was
tickled to see baby BF so well!  I felt so proud!  This mom had tried really
hard, and had done such a good job!  Karen confirmed the possible beginnings
of mastitis, definitely some blocked ducts from the engorgement.  She made
sure that I had given the mom all the proper info on treating engorgement (I
was glad, 'cause I was afraid I had missed something, but I didn't!)  Karen
wanted me to charge for the consult, but I couldn't.  It was a learning
experience for me and I was just glad I was there to help this poor gal out.
 So I promised Karen that next time I would charge!  :)
Well, I know it wasn't a groundbreaking type of consult.  I know it's one
most of y'all out there have dealt with, but it's my first real one with me
being in charge, and I really feel great about it!  And I didn't get hands on
with mom.  I knew that I wasn't ready for that at all.  Helping with L-O and
using the syringe is one thing, but I wouldn't know the first thing about
diagnosing mastitis or plugged ducts by feel.  That's for the experienced
folks!
Anyway, thanks for *listening* to my story!
Take care all!
Jay Simpson, CLE  :)