Thursday, June 08, 2006

The Best Money I Ever Spent

C'mon, Blogger, c'mon! Now is not the time to be down for technical difficulties again! Don't you people know I have a brand new baby and only a couple of minutes on the keyboard? I'm going to try to keep posting stuff as I can, just to keep myself in the habit here. Just overlook the incoherence and mispellings, won't you?

He was my first child. He was in a bili box for severe jaundice. He was extremely dehydrated. He gnawed instead of nursed. An aunt rented a hospital pump for me in hopes that I could keep a milk supply. I cried and pumped day and night. The nurses, the pediatrician, the La Leche leader--no one could get him to latch. I finally found the number for A Mother's Place at Centennial Hospital. He was almost three weeks old.

My insurance would not cover the $75 consultation fee, which represented a huge sum for us at that time. I didn't care. I was desperate. I begged for an appointment and two days later dragged my weepy self into the office of Jane Kershaw, IBCLC. She took one look at my breasts and my baby and diagnosed the problem. Five minutes later Andrew was gulping and swallowing like a traveller at an oasis. There was no pain. Only sweet, blessed relief. I was a mother. I could feed my baby.

I consider that $75 the best money I ever spent. Period. (And you know that means a lot coming from a frugal mom like me!) Sure, we saved a lot of money on formula--but who could put a price on a year of happy nursing?

Today Jane Kershaw and her warm staff at A Mother's Place came to my rescue again. (Luckily now covered by insurance!) Different baby, completely different set of problems--and a bag of no-nonsense solutions from her years of experience and academic research. Almost instantly, Elise enjoyed the only true sustenance she's had in her first forty-eight hours of life. I just can't describe how much better we both feel. If you are in my area and have breastfeeding problems, don't hesitate to make an appointment at A Mother's Place--or find a similar expert in your city.

"though art He that took me out of the womb: thou didst make me hope when I was upon my mother's breasts." Psalm 22:9

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Lactation consultants are amazing. I'll always be grateful for the one at our hospital.

Do you mind if I ask, for my own edification, what the problem was?

Laura Talbert said...

I am so glad your nursing issues are being resolved. Like moneydummy said, those lactation consultants are amazing.

And blogger! Oh, the nuisance it has been the last few days. At least I am building a stock pile of ideas for later posts=)

Anonymous said...

Healthy, content children and a happy mom - you can't put a price on that. I'm so glad things are improving. Those first weeks are so joyful but they always seem to have some kink or another. Take care. -Melissa

Nettie said...

I'm glad you were able to figure out the problems, with both babies. What a great proactive approach to parenting, too. So, many wouldn't have bothered and just gone straight for the bottles. Hope you have a great post partum! (and blogger behaves soon)

Anonymous said...

We also spent a large chunk of change on a lactation consultant after our first baby went nearly 72 hours without feeding. I'm 100% with you: best money ever spent.

A month ago, when our 2nd baby had the exact same problem, we were able to hop right into the solutions she provided us last time with confidence, so we got a two-fer for our money! Heh.

Anonymous said...

Hi! I had a similar experience and had to go to a very special lactation consultant before my 3 week old learned to nurse well. Second time it was my 3 month old who learned to nurse, and most lactation consultants were just stunned I didn't quit in all that time. (NOW I can't get him to stop!). :)

Anonymous said...

Anonymous: I'm SO right there with you! It took forever to get BabyMoney to latch. Within two weeks he wouldn't even TOUCH a bottle, and he now believes that nursing is the best thing EVER! At 13 months, he's still not very impressed with whole milk, and he loves our morning and evening nursing routines. (I must confess, I'm rather fond of them myself.)

Anonymous said...

Meredith, so glad to hear your and Elise's initial nursing challenge has been addressed--hope the jaundice clears quickly too. I'm sure your LC told you that physiological jaundice is a bit more common with breastfed babies because of the slightly less hydration with colostrum vs. formula, but that it isn't a long-term problem usually once nursing is well-established. Aren't LC's just wonderful? I applaud the moms and babies who have successful nursing without professional advice, but when one's baby just isn't "getting it" it is such a relief to not have to rely just on one's own trial and error, or formula! I wish every new mom would find a way to see an LC in the first week, I know I will with my next and I'm planning how to be able to afford to give my pregnant sister a gift certificate.

Anonymous said...

You both look so well!
CONGRATULATIONS!!

Mom2fur said...

What a wonderful group they must be! It's great when you have someone to help you who really knows what you are going through, and can really help. And thank goodness insurance now covers that. They should do as much as possible to help keep babies healthy! XXXOOO