ME !!!
Haven't been for a few weeks, due to illness and Christmas stuff and they were closed a couple of weeks.
Turned up this morning to be asked straight away for a private word by the HCA. She regrets to inform me that they are changing the rules as to age of children permitted at the group. I asked how old, but they have not decided yet. (I suspect it will be the age of my child) So apparently my time is limited at this group
She said she knew I had been talking about her, I clarified that I had sent a letter to her boss asking for more training for her, as she had no idea what she was talking about regarding breastfeeding and was telling all the women to do things which damaged the potential for women to continue breastfeeding. I said she was a nice woman who can run a group well etc, but her knowledge was outdated and in many cases wrong. I re-offered to pass on information, books and studies so she can educate herself, I won't be holding my breath.
So a short time later, we return back to the group. One mother in a great amount of distress came straight to me asking me for information on her problem, which I can't give her as I'm banned from talking in this group. I suggest we go for a cuppa after the group.
This mum had been been away from her 4 month old exclusively breastfed baby during the day only for a week. Baby was struggling to latch on now and the mum thought she was losing her milk.
The HCA said that her milk had dried up and there was nothing she could do about it now and that there was nothing wrong with formula, her baby would be fine on it.
A couple of other mums had suggested expressing but the HCA was luke warm about this suggestion.
I said nothing
Later in the cafe my friend and I comfort this mum, who is panicking about having to use formula. I explain I am a formula child and if she needs to use it, it will be fine but it is much too early too worry about that.
Establish she can still 'feel the milk and let down', we gave her details of the breastfeeding support lines, Kellymom website and I mentioned the bog standard supply increasing stuff, eating oatmeal, herbs you can take like mothers tea, fenugreek(no idea if they work but some people swear by them). She liked the idea of bathing with baby and extra skin to skin time. Also suggested expressing milk onto the nipple and to stimulate letdown so the baby gets milk straight away when he latches etc (Can?t remember where I read that last bit so I hope that is correct)
I thought that really she just needed to relax, as she was so worked up about it not working she was bouncing off the walls. No wonder her child was picking up on her understandable distress. Happily just the knowledge, that it was more than possible even if her milk had gone (which it hadn't) to build it up again, cheered her up no end.
Half an hour later her son was happily nursing in the cafe.
But this kind of thing is why my friend and I feel we have to attend the group (whilst I?m not banned) That mother went from being a distress upset mum to a happy mum because we listened to her and we were confidant that this was a problem that could be overcome.
But as the HCA was so confidant that she was right and the milk had ?dried up? and had NO suggestions on how to help this mother except tell her to use formula. She sat and watched this distress mum and did not think to say. Let me look that up for you/speak to my boss to see if there is another solution etc
I am feeling very mixed up.
Happy that this mum is back on the right feeding path for her.
Cross and angry that I'm being made out to be an interfering nasty person, when all I want is for people to do the job they are paid to do.