Joanna,
This goes along the same lines as "the customer is always right". I
have found myself couching my own information as I accept the mother's reality.
I agree with you--It is always important to listen to the mom. They need to
feel that you are listening to them, and understand what their needs and
wants are for their nursing situation. I have often managed to help moms turn
things around after I have discussed how to wean. I have a perfect example
over the past two days. Yesterday, she cried as she told me that she must give
up this "rouse". She had a tachypnic baby due to miconium aspiration. Poor
thing has been suctioned so much, and IVed, g-tubed that by the time they
got to breastfeeding, the baby didn't want to have anything to do with
anything going into the body. Mom felt yesterday that she couldn't go on with
pumping and feeding, and she didn't want to try with someone else. She had
already gone through 3 LCs, and couldn't handle anymore. I started with how
terribly frustrating her situation is, and how I have worked with babies that have
gone through this--so I had a certain amount of empathy for the baby as well.
We ended up discussing either pumping and feeding OR weaning gradually. I
did not pressure her to try with the baby again, but I did suggest that the
baby could go back to the breast if she kept her supply up and got past this.
She called me again this morning, and told me that she couldn't stop
pumping, and then she asked me more questions about how I work with my moms and
babies, but still said she couldn't handle anymore rejection. This afternoon she
called and asked when she could have an appointment. My background is in
psych and counseling. It always pays to be very aware of the emotional needs
of moms and babies. If you think about it, this is an integral part of being
a successful lactation consultant.
Debbie Albert, RN, Ph.D., LMHC, IBCLC, RLC
Tampa Lactation Counseling
Tampa, FL
In a message dated 9/12/05 10:28:08 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:
As LCs we have a lot of tools avail to us, and the trick is to know which
options will help mom, offer them to her and then let her decide. "The
mother is always right". (A quote from Linda Smith if I remember
correctly.)
Joanna Koch, IBCLC, N. Ca.
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