Sanity Saver

When NYC banned the diaper bags last week for their public hospitals, I thought about the moms who will invariably slip through the cracks. I was reminded of a patient of mine who is happily breastfeeding her baby, but who had lots of difficulty in the first few days.

On her first night at home, her baby was wailing and couldn’t latch on, which is an all too familiar scenario. She was ready to give up completely, her partner was frustrated and their baby was hungry. She said to me, “I don’t know what I would have done without that sample. It saved my sanity. We fed the baby, she slept, and I recharged, and tried again.” This mom had to see lactation consultants and used supplementation for awhile, and now is breastfeeding exclusively.

I think about moms and dads who are sleep deprived and in the same situation. Having the sample is a welcome convenience for so many, and means fewer late night trips to an all-night drugstore for supplies.

Of course, we all know that breastfeeding is better for babies, and we want to help moms nurse longer, but we also have to be practical.