Just wanted to chime in here a little.
When my first child was born I was serving in the Army as a captain in the 
Army Nurse Corps. I would have four months left in my commitment when she 
was born. I guess military duty is a little different, being in the US in a 
hospital, than being serving in a unit outside the US.  I worked through 
horrible morning sickness and never missed a day of work throughout my 
pregnancy, taking on the responsibility of head nurse in a 
medical-surgical-pediatric unit.
I assumed that after my baby was born, I would go back to work, sign up for 
my next tour of duty and would continue my Army career. Intellectually, it 
seemed very likely. The doctors would jokingly make fun of me when I was 
obviously very pregnant, saying, "Look at our fighting force." They said I 
would never stay in the Army after my baby was born and I disagreed with 
them. I told them that I was going to stay my 20 years.

However, I did not know that once she was born and once I became a mother 
that I would drastically change my mind. My decision overtook me so 
overwhelmingly that I was afraid to tell my husband, because I had been so 
adamant about telling everyone I would be staying in. When it was getting 
close to time for me to return to work I gathered my courage and told him 
that I was not looking forward to going back, in fact, I wanted to stay 
home. He told me that he thought that was what I would say.

It took a while, and letters to the president of the USA and all my 
congressmen, but I eventually did get an honorable discharge from the Army. 
I did have to work for a few months before that happened. I realized then 
and I realize now that the Army has a goal of protecting our country and as 
a nurse, caring for those who were protecting our country and their 
families. I respect that very much.

I just didn't know how much I could love one little seven pound baby girl.

Ann Calandro, BSN, RNC, IBCLC 

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