In response to Annalee's question: What do you do when your client, who's
been working so diligently to 
protect/build her milk supply while struggling with her infant's suck
problems, 
goes in for a well baby check and to ask for a ENT referral for frenotomy
and 
the Dr. tells her that "Nobody works this hard at breastfeeding...why don't
you 
just give up?"

Unfortunately, women hear these hurtful words all too often, not just from
pediatricians, but also from OBs, husbands, other family members, friends,
and even women they barely know.  Many people can't understand that
breastfeeding success can be important for a mother, not just as a way to
protect her baby's health and provide him with the best nutrition, but also
as a source of empowerment to the mother.  

In this type of situation, the mother needs to know that she is not alone in
wanting to do everything she can to create a successful breastfeeding
experience.  As a lactation consultant, I can try to be her cheerleader, but
often she will feel more supported if she hears from other mothers that
they, too, are working very hard to achieve breastfeeding success.  In
addition to referring these mothers to breastfeeding support groups or La
Leche League, I maintain a referral list of past clients who have
volunteered to offer peer support for other nursing mothers.  In essence,
the mothers on my referral list have a desire to "pay it forward".  They
have been helped by other moms on my list when they were in need of support,
so they are more than happy to assist the next needy nursing mom.  I match
women up with others who have had similar circumstances.  For example, if a
mother has a baby with ankyloglossia, I refer her to other women who have
had to deal with this problem.  Oftentimes, this peer support helps to
balance the hurtful comments that she hears from others, so that the mother
can feel empowered in her desires and beliefs.


============================================
Ellen A. Steinberg, RN, LCCE, IBCLC
Telephone: (818) 345-4439
Cell Phone:  (818) 929-7584
E-mail: [log in to unmask]




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