Are we still talking about Diane's "waves" analogy?

Personally, one of the things I find most powerful in the "wave theory"
(gee, sounds like physics!) is the realization that as the "old" wave is
sliding back, another new one is rising to take its place. For the last few
months, I have been very much not wanting to "do anything" - see moms, visit
Lactnet, keep up on new research, read my JHL, push forward with ideas for
making the local community more breastfeeding-friendly. The only thing I've
enjoyed about my profession has been the babies themselves (I LOVE the
babies - maybe I should just give up all this lactation nonsense and become
an over-qualified nanny!), and my collegial and friendship relationship with
Diane (aren't I lucky?).

And adding to my guilt over not doing all that I feel I "should be" doing
for breastfeeding support has been the guilt about the guilt. I'm not a big
believer in wallowing in guilt - I tend to figure it's a lot easier to
correct whatever is causing it than to suffer along under its weight - but
this was really getting to me. After all,  there really aren't that many of
us out there (at least in our community), and if one or - heaven forfend! -
two of us slack off, that's about it for breastfeeding help.

Or so I tend to think. But the wave analogy is correct; it reminds me that
yes, this particular wave that is me may have crested too soon and be on the
washing-out phase, but yes, there are also some new ones coming right along
behind, and they will rise and grow in their turn, and that it might be OK
to let the waves take their natural cycle. After all, the whole ocean
doesn't collapse because one or two waves subside! Sometimes we float,
sometimes we just wash up & back for a while, and other times we rise up
with mighty power - it's all OK, it's all part of the rhythm.

Cathy Bargar, RN, IBCLC
Ithaca NY

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