Hi All,
    I agree with the post that Wendy made concerning gravely ill babies,
especially those who die. No one in the hospitals seems to want to deal
with it. I applaud my son's major care givers (the ones on duty the
first 48 hours) as there was obvious grief as they told us he was
failing and then as then end approached. But from then on we struggled
with very little help as to getting out of the hospital - I just
couldn't stay on Postpartum, no advice or even a warning about milk
coming in and what to do about it, or if there was a grief support group
to help me cope. I found out through my experience that a little pumping
helps to relive the discomfort, yet didn't encourage more milk
production, I found out how to be strong at times to get the information
and help I needed, and lastly I discovered that talking about my son and
my situation actually helped rather than hurt me. Luckily I have a best
friend who was more than willing to ask questions and listen to the
whole story more than once.
    Today I had to, on the spur of the moment, be brought back to that
situation once a again. My daughter's best friend suddenly lost her baby
just days before it was due. I went to the funeral, the church meal and
to the house, to let her know that my daughter and I are there for her
and that I understand completely what she is going through and will
listen anytime. Some of  the moms who I offer my support to don't come
back, some do and gain insight on getting through this time that I guess
one must say, only someone who has been there really knows.

Leslie Ward
Vine Grove, KY
"The soul would have no rainbow if the eyes had no tears." Minquass
Proverb