My home visit clients have been great about honestly completing my day-of-visit Covid safety and symptom-checking form. On the rare occasion we’ve had to reschedule due to a parent coming down with a sore throat, or like today, a little one waking with a cold, I’ve been a little sad but also glad. I’m so grateful that we all are focusing on the needs of the community to keep us as safe as we can from potential transmission as we peek our heads out from our Covid cocoons to interact face-to-face once again. So here I am, with a rare quiet morning with a spontaneous agenda of cleaning out my pantry and writing a bit for anyone interested in reading some thoughts and advice.
This is a crazy time of year for anyone, but especially for new parents. The holidays bring memories, excitement, activity, and dare I say, often a sprinkling of stress. We look forward to spending time with loved ones and for new parents, it may be the first time you are introducing your new little to family and friends. Routines inevitably get discombobulated (I love that word) and well-meaning folk can derail your carefully curated plans for managing feeds, sleep, and limited but oh-so-needed downtime. Statistically, this time of year is when many breastfeeding challenges arise, particularly mastitis which is a breast infection that no one wants to experience. Couple that with limited support resources available due to vacations and you’ve got a recipe for disappointment at the very least and pain and breastfeeding cessation frequently coming to pass.
I put together a page specifically on this subject and am happy to share it with my readers here. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you’d like some support. I’m around and seeing clients and would love the chance to help you enjoy this season, your loved ones, and your feeding journey as much as possible.