In a message dated 4/17/01 12:10:20 PM Central Daylight Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:


> Here's the situation:
> Mother of 4-month old, nursing well, no problems so far, is visiting her
> family in another state with the new baby for the first time. Dad stays home
> to work, commits suicide.  Mother is distraught, hysterical, and "unable" to
> feed baby.  According to reports, mother is unable to comprehend that baby
> needs to nurse. Baby won't accept bottles.  I have had experience with a
> nursing mom who had complete (and final) lack of let-down after a traumatic
> experience, despite support, and would like to avoid that happening in this
> case.  Any suggestions on how to deal with this?

Thought I hesitate to share personal experiences in such a public
setting.....my heart goes out to this woman.....so I will.   I personally had
a severely traumatic experience when my third baby was 3 mo. old.  My twins
were 3 1/2 at the time.  I almost instantly had such a severe stutter that no
one could understand me......except one sister.  She is a patient and soft
spoken soul who understood the looks in my eyes when no one else was
looking.....who also realized that I was so traumatized that I didn't
recognize when my baby was hungry.  It was not that I couldn't nurse
her....it's that the trauma had taken me to a place of retreat that didn't
allow me to "hear" her needs.  My sister stayed by my side and would bring
the baby to me and make sure I latched her on.  The prolactin release was
actually quite instrumental in calming my mental state down within about a
week.  That doesn't make the circumstances go away......but meeting the needs
of the baby will help.....not hurt.

Is there anyone sensitive enough to this woman and a breastfeeding baby to do
this for her?

Cheryl Taylor White

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