I know y'all don't want to see what my schedule for the week was so I'll
just do Friday and Saturday.
Fri am: leave house at 7:20 to get dd to camp, get to work (LC/Bfing Co)
at WIC at 8:30. Begin a 7 hour shift that included counseling 8
women/children, three of which were nursing mothers with "issues" that
needed to be worked with. Two got electric pumps for baby's that
wouldn't latch/engorgement/going back to work type stuff (read: more time
necessary than "allowed" for appt.="STRESS). During that time at work I
received a panic call as a message on voice mail, from a new mom, sister
of leader applicant in my LLL group, she's about to throw in the towel,
nipples are so sore etc. etc., however I am at work and can't call her
back as we are packed with people to see. ARRGGHHH! Leave work at 3:30 to
go get dd from camp, thinking about that call all the while. Back home
at 4:30 can FINALLY call this poor woman back. Talk to her a bit, she's
a little better now but I had talked to her the day before and with all
she's telling me I know she needs to be seen. I tell her I can't come
tonight but will pay her a visit tomorrow (Sat.) am. even though I know
dd wants to be with me as well and it's the weekend, and the family will
give me flack cause I'm not getting paid and I have a million things I
was planning to do. I know that house calls are optional and certainly
not expected but I also know I need to SEE this mom if I am to be of any
further help to her.
Now folks, please don't be too hard on LLL VOLUNTEERS. We try our best,
we have families too, that even though LLL says "family first" often
don't come first because we are so committed to the cause. I think that
2 weeks to respond is really stretching it but sometimes we have to make
a judgement call and decide if this time maybe family really does need to
come first. We are real women with real families and sometimes real
problems: husbands that may be leaving us, teens getting into trouble,
small children with school issues, etc. We have an unrealistic goal to
meet as volunteers, we can't be there 100% of the time, 24 hrs/day. We
have busy families and PAYING jobs that need us too. That doesn't mean
we feel comfortable just not being LLL volunteers anymore because if we
don't do it who will? Maybe we aren't always able to respond immediately
but we are a valuable resource all the same and respond in a reasonable
time MOST of the time.
Getting ready for flames:
Ilene Fabisch, IBCLC, LLLL, WIC BF Co
Listmom wicbfnet and MLCANET
Brockton, MA
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