Thank you Pat for your wonderful post. We can sometimes get bogged
down in the importance of the moment and forget about the big picture.
Your post was an eloquent reminder of how we can make a difference,
not just for one mother and baby, but for a whole extended family. A
favourite quote of mine:

"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly
endless"
-Mother Theresa

Sometimes it is easy to get discouraged in our roles supporting
mothers and babies. Sometimes it is very hard to cope with the
criticism and comments from people who do not know the facts or have
accepted things as fact when a little research would convince them
otherwise. (yep, I've had a week of it too)
Lactnet is such a wonderful place to come when you need inspiration
and reassurance, as well as a simply amazing information resource. If
you will indulge me in another of my favourite quotes...

"A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it
back you when you have forgotten the words" - anonymous.

So when some of us have forgotten the words, we can come to our
friends here and be reminded why what we do is so special.
Bless you all.
Querida

Querida David ....waiting for the mail!!!
Alyangula, NT. Australia
Email: [log in to unmask]

Pat wrote:
"There was so much support of Mom's breastfeeding, and of
>her totally, that I didn't want to come between these people.  I
would be
>going away and they would be there loving and supporting each other.
>Grandma and Dad had been doing many outstanding, caring things for
both Mom
>and baby. I loved it.
>


"  I've found the words that I got from some Lactnetter to
>be especially inspiring to several dads when his feeding the baby
with a
>bottle comes up.  "You are the one person who can teach your baby
that love
>doesn't always come with food."  Sometimes their eyes "puddle up" or
they
>seem awe-struck. I then I ask them what they think they would like to
do
>with the baby that would be enjoyable to both them and the baby. We
talk.
>
>Another thing I tell the dads is that their baby learns through her
mouth
>and her skin.  If he will hold baby on his bare chest and baby in
just
>diaper, baby will connect very deeply to him and him to her. I love
it when
>I come back later and they say, with a big smile, that they tried it
and it
>was great.
>
>I don't know why I'm telling *you* all of this.  You all know these
things.
> I just got carried away with writing to Lactnet, which I haven't had
time
>to do lately.
>
>This case was a bright light in a frustrating week similar to what
others
>of you had.
>
>Patricia Gima, IBCLC
>Milwaukee, Wisconsin, upper midwest USA
>
>mailto:[log in to unmask]
>