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A moment of satisfaction
Dec. 18th, 2006 09:35 pmA co-worker gave birth about a month ago. In her earlier stages of pregnancy, she debated whether or not she wanted to breastfeed. I spent a lot fo time talking to her about the benefits, gave her some good books, and encouraged her to take the breastfeeding class at the local hospital (the one where I gave birth). By the end of her pregnancy, she was gung-ho to breastfeed, and, when she left on maternity, I armed her with my number and a vow to be there to help.
Well, her birth was a rough one, and her daughter swallowed a few mouthfuls of amniotic fluid on the way out, causing respiratory problems. She ended up at the special care hospital up north for a week after birth. I was so afraid that she was going to have trouble starting or maintaining the breastfeeding relationship. I left a couple of messages for her, encouraging her, but I had not heard back. Well, I saw her this afternoon at our office holiday party, and, she excitedly told me that she is having a great time breastfeeding. She was able to pump early on, and she dealt with a big problem--her daughter needed to be fed via IV and had a pacifier and had to learn to swallow. She worked with a LC to teach her daughter to latch and swallow, and after a lot of hard work, had success. She pumped and fed her daughter with a syringe, drop by drop to help keep her thriving--and she is already two pounds up from her birth weight, about 3 1/2 weeks later!
My co-worker told me that when she was having a hard time, she just kept remembering how encouraging I was, and kept saying she heard me telling her she could do it. I feel so satisfied that I have been able to be a part of a mother's determination to keep breastfeeding! Honestly? One of the best gifts I could have received this holiday.
(oh, and I pulled #1 in the Yankee Swap today, meaning I got BEST pick of the loot....first time ever. Yeah, baby!)
Well, her birth was a rough one, and her daughter swallowed a few mouthfuls of amniotic fluid on the way out, causing respiratory problems. She ended up at the special care hospital up north for a week after birth. I was so afraid that she was going to have trouble starting or maintaining the breastfeeding relationship. I left a couple of messages for her, encouraging her, but I had not heard back. Well, I saw her this afternoon at our office holiday party, and, she excitedly told me that she is having a great time breastfeeding. She was able to pump early on, and she dealt with a big problem--her daughter needed to be fed via IV and had a pacifier and had to learn to swallow. She worked with a LC to teach her daughter to latch and swallow, and after a lot of hard work, had success. She pumped and fed her daughter with a syringe, drop by drop to help keep her thriving--and she is already two pounds up from her birth weight, about 3 1/2 weeks later!
My co-worker told me that when she was having a hard time, she just kept remembering how encouraging I was, and kept saying she heard me telling her she could do it. I feel so satisfied that I have been able to be a part of a mother's determination to keep breastfeeding! Honestly? One of the best gifts I could have received this holiday.
(oh, and I pulled #1 in the Yankee Swap today, meaning I got BEST pick of the loot....first time ever. Yeah, baby!)
