I had an experience this week that doesn't happen very often and just wanted to share it to brighten up a cold, snowy world here in the heartland of the USA!  I saw a mother this week who was breastfeeding and appeared not to know much about it.  Not unusual.  Baby got some bottles because mom was
sure baby wasn't getting enough.  Not all that unusual either, unfortunately.   As I talked to her further, with all the usual info, she told me that she did not breastfeed her older child and she had not intended to breastfeed this one.  However, after baby was born, apparently she very definitely
indicated a desire to breastfeed, rooting and such, so mom (I'm sure with some encouragement from L&D staff) put baby to breast and she did well.  When I saw her the next day, although baby had been given some bottles by the parents, she still went straight to the breast (like she was born to do
it?! ;-) ) and latched without a problem.  I heard swallows almost immediately.  After all the usual info, and showing her the "14 Steps to Successful Breastfeeding" video, I still figured that baby was going to get some bottles.  The second night is often killer even for moms who plan on nothing
but breastfeeding, with baby feeding off and on all night.  I walked in on discharge day to a baby who hadn't gotten any more bottles, a mom who was smiling -in short a breastfeeding couplet who were right on track for discharge!  In talking with mom, I mentioned that she was very fortunate her baby
was such a champion nurser, because they don't all do so well at the breast after they've gotten multiple bottles.  She asked if it could have been because of the way she gave birth, which was without medication.  Yes, probably so, I told her.  It was so refreshing.  When you think of all the things
that can go wrong, all the pieces that have to work together to make breastfeeding successful...or rather, all the myriad ways things can be complicated, this mom got a gift: a baby who was very clear in her desire to breastfeed and quite good in her ability to do it!  The launch point was an
unmedicated delivery.  That allowed all the other pieces to fall right into place!  This isn't the first time I've seen this happen, but it's sure been a long time!  If only they could all be that way...!

Marsha, who is grinning ear to ear and walking with a lighter step this week!


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future generations as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~




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