I promised an introduction about 2 weeks ago and am finally getting around to it. I am an IBCLC working in private practice and on call for the military hospital here in Anchorage. I am also a charter board member of the Alaska Breastfeeding Coalition. I led LLL meetings for 10 years in Germany and Alaska but am currently on reserve. My husband retired from the Air Force 2 years ago and we finally put down roots here in Anchorage. We are foster parents for the state of AK so have a fluctuating number of children in our home. Currently the number is 6--our adopted son (17 1/2 years), our birth daughter (16 1/2 years), our soon to be adopted foster children ages 5,4,and 3 and our newest foster child 1 month old. I nursed our adopted son with the aid of a Lact-aid for about 6 months and then gave birth to our only birth child when he was 14 months old. She was breastfed for a v-e-r-y long time (we negotiated her weaning). Our other children have all come to us in various conditions and due to CPS policy even the wee ones have not been put to breast. Our 5 and 3 year olds are both Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Our 4 year old was exposed pre-natally to alcohol but seems to have escaped FAS/FAE but was diagnosed with Leukemia (ALL) last September. Now, to the Help part of my message. The military hospital called me today for help with a mom who had emergency surgery for a perforated appendix 2 nights ago. The staff of our hospital are for the most part supportive and helpful. The immediate problem was how to manage her full breasts---that has been dealt with. The long range situation is: she will be hospitalized for 10 days, has an incision that will remain open, and she is concerned about going home to a very active 11 month old. She is considering totally weaning. However, she will still need to nurture this young one.One of the nurses and I have already suggested finding some kind of pillow to cushion mom's stomach so that she can more comfortable hold her little boy. Do any of you wonderful Lactnetters have any other suggestions that I could relay to this mom? TIA Catherine Tapey,IBCLC ([log in to unmask])