Hello Everyone

Today I received an email from a lactation client whom I visited in May 2008 and wanted to share with you because this is what the last sentence says:  "With loving thanks to you and all of the other lactation consultants out there who make a difference. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU !!!!!!!!"

"Hi Julieanne,
 
Not sure if you remember me. My name is ............., and I want to thank you for coming to my aid as a lactation consultant when our 3rd child (Yumi) was 8 days old. 

I had made a call to Mum-2-Mum asking the best way to stop feeding my baby. My nipples were cracked, I was in tears with every feed and I was putting off feeding Yumi, as the thought of feeding her terrified me. The woman on the other end of the phone said that I should consider syringe-feeding Yumi for a few days until my nipples were feeling better, so I thought I should give this a go. 

A close friend was also searching for solutions for me and came across your details on the internet. I called you on a Saturday in May 2008, told you my story, and that I was so very close to ceasing breastfeeding, and you were here at my home the very next day. For days I had had my breasts hanging out letting them drip everywhere, as even the slightest touch was extremely painful. 
 
You walked into my home and asked me to feed as I normally would (I had not fed Yumi by breast for around 3 days at this stage). I set myself up, with my pillow behind my back and one under Yumi. You watched as I fed her for about 20 minutes, then you asked how I felt about trying something different. I was up for anything, so I listened intently to what you had in mind. 

You helped me get into a comfortable position (which was laying back on our lounge with my feet up and a pillow behind my back), and then asked if it was OK to undress Yumi from the waist up so we could be skin-to-skin, and let Yumi try finding her way to the breast. 

It worked!!!! You spent approximately 2 hours with us and I think your charge was nothing compared to the gift you gave our family. I was not concentrating on getting the position right, it was just a natural feed and worked for us a treat. 

From this day on feeding was such a pleasurable experience, which I NEVER thought it could be. It formed such an amazingly strong bond with Yumi and I, and also taught our other 2 children that if you set your mind to something and it gets tough, there are always professionals out there who can help. It was also an amazing thing for our then 3 year old daughter to watch, as she was going around breastfeeding her dollies and teddies.
 
Gratitude is the word that comes to my mind when I think of you, without your visit that day, I would not have continued to breastfeed for another day.
 
I have finished feeding Yumi who was 20 months at the time of finishing and I miss it.

Kind Regards, ............."

When my partner read the email he said (among other things): "It goes on, it spreads out."

Cheers, Julieanne

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