June 2019
Lactation
Clinic
Ascension St. John Hospital
Joedi Mailloux RNC, IBCLC, HNB-BC, Kim Winarski RN, IBCLC, Renee Pearson IBCLC, Colleen Schulte RN, IBCLC, HNB-BC, Mary Maher RN, IBCLC, HNB-BC, Carol Pokladek RN, IBCLC, HNB-BC, Dr. Margaret Pierron, Karen Wolak & Nancy Ahee
Dr. Paula Schreck
Dr. Paula Schreck
Had it not been for this team, my little guy would probably be equally happy and healthy on formula and bottles, but I'm grateful that they gave me the opportunity to experience something I really didn't think possible for myself.
Dear Ascension St. John Hospital Lactation Clinic,
When I was pregnant with my little guy, I spent so much time thinking about breastfeeding. Like, SO much. Would I? Wouldn't I? Could I? Couldn't I? I knew it was the best thing for "the baby", as we called him before his arrival, but I was also very aware of my own tendency to have "personal space" or "bubble" issues. I also questioned if physiologically and anatomically I would be successful and then if I wasn't, would I feel like a failure. Eventually, I ended up leaving it all up in the air to just see what would happen.
Then, our baby boy came out and latched right on for, no joke, an hour straight. I thought to myself, "Well, it looks like we're doing this." I felt well supported in the hospital - I'll never forget when Karen came in and gave me some feedback on using my arm/hand as more of a shelf than a grip when in cross-body hold. That helped so much! Carol Pokladek also stopped by to educate and support - it was wonderful.
Then I went home. Since I didn't have very much confidence in the likelihood that I would breastfeed, I hadn't really taken the whole thing very seriously up to that point. I realized quickly that I hadn't done myself any favors in getting my milk to come in, nor had I lined up support the way I should have through those first weeks. Who knew that eight to ten 1-hour nursing sessions per day with a baby who, like mama, really liked his sleep would take up so much of one's time?! Funny how that works.
Cue Ms. Colleen Schulte. I, true to form, really didn't want to ask for help, but my baby's weight was just hanging out at the same spot for a couple of weeks and I knew it was time to call in the professionals. I was exchanging cute photos of my baby for breastfeeding encouragement and advice from Colleen on a daily basis there for a while. Colleen's positivity, patience, and encouragement were just what I needed to get me through to my (3) appointments at the Lactation Clinic. That, and Nancy Ahee's scheduling magic - she was always able to get me in at the perfect time.
Enter Mary Maher and Dr. Pierron. As parts of my body changed in ways that it should and, well, should not these two empowered me to press on. Things were not healing and were even sort of eroding away at one point (Sorry, TMI, but true!), but they helped get me through it. They never made me feel like I would have made a poor choice had I decided to switch to bottles and/or formula. We ended up being able to make it through without those things - just some extra help from a nipple shield, and I can honestly say looking back at my breastfeeding journey that it has been one of the most difficult and absolutely rewarding journeys of my life.
Our little man is almost 7 months old now! He cut his first tooth this last weekend and he's eating every solid food he can get his hands on, so nursing him is becoming less and less. That said, not a morning or an evening goes by when feeding little mister that I don't think with great appreciation to each of you and the role you played in making those special moments with him possible.
I can see now more than ever that breastfeeding may not be for everyone. I can also see now more than ever that this group of board-certified holistic (HNB-BC) lactation consultant (IBCLC) nurses (RNs) (and the rest of the team, too!) in the Ascension St. John Lactation Clinical holistically support, love, and guide each mom in a special way that is unique to their respective journey. Had it not been for this team, my little guy would probably be equally happy and healthy on formula and bottles, but I'm grateful that they gave me the opportunity to experience something I really didn't think possible for myself. Thank you all so much!
When I was pregnant with my little guy, I spent so much time thinking about breastfeeding. Like, SO much. Would I? Wouldn't I? Could I? Couldn't I? I knew it was the best thing for "the baby", as we called him before his arrival, but I was also very aware of my own tendency to have "personal space" or "bubble" issues. I also questioned if physiologically and anatomically I would be successful and then if I wasn't, would I feel like a failure. Eventually, I ended up leaving it all up in the air to just see what would happen.
Then, our baby boy came out and latched right on for, no joke, an hour straight. I thought to myself, "Well, it looks like we're doing this." I felt well supported in the hospital - I'll never forget when Karen came in and gave me some feedback on using my arm/hand as more of a shelf than a grip when in cross-body hold. That helped so much! Carol Pokladek also stopped by to educate and support - it was wonderful.
Then I went home. Since I didn't have very much confidence in the likelihood that I would breastfeed, I hadn't really taken the whole thing very seriously up to that point. I realized quickly that I hadn't done myself any favors in getting my milk to come in, nor had I lined up support the way I should have through those first weeks. Who knew that eight to ten 1-hour nursing sessions per day with a baby who, like mama, really liked his sleep would take up so much of one's time?! Funny how that works.
Cue Ms. Colleen Schulte. I, true to form, really didn't want to ask for help, but my baby's weight was just hanging out at the same spot for a couple of weeks and I knew it was time to call in the professionals. I was exchanging cute photos of my baby for breastfeeding encouragement and advice from Colleen on a daily basis there for a while. Colleen's positivity, patience, and encouragement were just what I needed to get me through to my (3) appointments at the Lactation Clinic. That, and Nancy Ahee's scheduling magic - she was always able to get me in at the perfect time.
Enter Mary Maher and Dr. Pierron. As parts of my body changed in ways that it should and, well, should not these two empowered me to press on. Things were not healing and were even sort of eroding away at one point (Sorry, TMI, but true!), but they helped get me through it. They never made me feel like I would have made a poor choice had I decided to switch to bottles and/or formula. We ended up being able to make it through without those things - just some extra help from a nipple shield, and I can honestly say looking back at my breastfeeding journey that it has been one of the most difficult and absolutely rewarding journeys of my life.
Our little man is almost 7 months old now! He cut his first tooth this last weekend and he's eating every solid food he can get his hands on, so nursing him is becoming less and less. That said, not a morning or an evening goes by when feeding little mister that I don't think with great appreciation to each of you and the role you played in making those special moments with him possible.
I can see now more than ever that breastfeeding may not be for everyone. I can also see now more than ever that this group of board-certified holistic (HNB-BC) lactation consultant (IBCLC) nurses (RNs) (and the rest of the team, too!) in the Ascension St. John Lactation Clinical holistically support, love, and guide each mom in a special way that is unique to their respective journey. Had it not been for this team, my little guy would probably be equally happy and healthy on formula and bottles, but I'm grateful that they gave me the opportunity to experience something I really didn't think possible for myself. Thank you all so much!