Comments on: Really, an abscess. Are you Sure?

By: Andrea

Andrea — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:33:00 +0000

I remember how extremely important it was to me to breastfeed my oldest daughter when she was born. While I was very fortunate and she took to it like a champ, once I left the hospital I didn’t have a huge support system. Many people I knew (including family) questioned why I would want to do it. One family member even told me she thought nursing was very unsanitary! Nice. The one person who supported me the most from the start and applauded my decision was Shannon. This was a time long before she was a lactation counselor, but her support of my decision meant a lot to me. When she told me she was going to become a lactation counselor I knew she would be terrific.

By: Shannon

Shannon — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:29:09 +0000

Thank you all for your comments. I’m glad I can share it with every one. I feel that we all have stories to tell, and sometimes it may help to know you’re not alone!

By: Lizzy

Lizzy — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:33:39 +0000

Shannon told me this story during my consult with her when i was having trouble nursing Ada in the beginning. She made me feel motivated to keep going and not alone in my nursing troubles. now 14 months later Ada is still nursing and the troubles are behind us! Thanks Shannon

By: Liz

Liz — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 12:09:13 +0000

I had Chloe at the same hospital and it took 5 days of calls by me and a NICU nurse to get a LC to come help me when Chloe was about 2 weeks old. She was so curt and rough with me and my then under 3lb baby. Then we transferred to Kent hospital and their LC was just about as helpful getting her to latch. It was the nurses and NP in the NICU at Kent that finally got Chloe nursing, which stopped the bradychardia spells she was having with bottle feeding and which allowed her to come home. Another reason why I want to become a lactation couselor…..

By: Holly

Holly — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:30:44 +0000

OMG! That is horrible. First, being in health care you NEVER tell a patient “I’ve never seen that before!” even if you haven’t!!!!! Then the fact that you had to endure an office visit like that. I got mastitis a few times after each baby. The first time the Dr. on call who I didn’t know told me he thought I had the flu and to take tylenol for the fever. He missed the whole….I’m nursing, my breast is sore and I had a red lump….I guess! I had to read my “boob bible” as I called it to figure it out myself until Monday when my office was open. I wish I had known about you guys back then! It would have saved me a very uncomfortable not to mention stressful weekend!!!

By: Sheri

Sheri — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:17:30 +0000

And that same hospital didn’t have a LC available for me to see until 4 days after birth. They didn’t suggest I start pumping before then, the nurses all contradicted each other and were very forceful in getting me to supplement with formula. And, when I was referred back there for PPD a month later, I had to wait 5 weeks for my first appointment! Completely unacceptable. I wish I had known of other good BF resources at that time, like Shannon at Bellani.

By: Rebecca

Rebecca — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 11:11:31 +0000

That same hospital refused to give me a lactation consultant until the last day of my five day stay. Meanwhile they were frustrated that my baby was loosing weight because of a poor latch.

Shannon, what an emotionally and physically painful story!

By: Amanda

Amanda — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 10:51:21 +0000

Thanks for sharing this story. It is so important to be supported and validated by other women, especially those we are seeing to get help.

By: Amy

Amy — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:43:55 +0000

This story just made me cringe and remember (somewhat related) that time I went to our top hospital here in RI for women and babies, 4 months pregnant with our daughter, and the ultrasound tech actually said, “I’m having a lot of trouble finding your uterus…”

Hmmmm….