Esther Grunis wrote: "As an innovative idea in these courses, we now bring
a social worker to the first session to "prime" these nurses, open the
wounds and let them air out their thoughts and feelings.
We do it in the beginning of the course to make them more receptive to the
information that they are learning.  The results are amazing.  So many
women have a sore spot, a raw nerve,  because of their breastfeeding
experience which affects so much of their life and self-esteem.  This is
just all the more reason for us to help new mothers enjoy their
breastfeeding experience."

Bravo, Esther! What an insightful and needed component of your course.
Bringing in a mental health professional would not only be innovative in
most educational settings, but essential when it comes to any type of
education that "touches a nerve." People simply cannot be expected to take
in information before their emotional needs are met. How many mothers have
we all worked with that couldn't fully join us in problem solving about
their breastfeeding issue until we first met the emotional need they had to
express their distress to someone who would listen in a nonjudgmental
manner? How many children have we all parented that couldn't listen to our
teaching words until their sadness or anger had been expressed in our
loving arms?

Grieving the loss of breastfeeding is really no different. What is the
likelihood that grief for the loss of breastfeeding would have been
experienced by these health care providers with "sore spots"? That anyone
did anything more than tell them formula feeding was just fine as well as
the only solution to whatever problem with breastfeeding they were having?
It doesn't matter how many years have passed. If they felt grief then and
had no support to go through the full process of grieving, then they will
have unfinished emotional business now. Time doesn't heal all wounds. It's
what we do while time passes that heals wounds.

Peace,

Cynthia

Cynthia Good Mojab, MS clinical psychology, IBCLC, RLC
Ammawell
Email: [log in to unmask]
Web site: http://home.attbi.com/~ammawell

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