Finding Your Own Path

I saw a patient yesterday with an adorable 6 week old baby girl. Dad came for the visit, and carried the car seat with their pink wrapped package. He gingerly picked his little sweetie pie and nestled her in his arms and brought out a bottle to feed her. She had been casted because of a congenital hip dislocation, so her little legs were wrapped and in braces. She only has to wear the braces for another 6 weeks and then be re-evaluated.

Mom is tired, and a little blue. She misses her family and is connecting with them via the internet, since they live on the other side of the planet. Breastfeeding didn't go well for her and she felt that pumping was too painful, so they moved to formula. We talked about her decision after all the help she received from the lactation consultants. She wasn't troubled by her decision in any way. Her concern was feeding the baby, and not how that happened.

It's interesting to me to work with real women in real situations. Each new mother that I encounter has a unique history and a unique perspective on what's important. Sometimes the way they feed their baby is the most important concern, sometimes it's another aspect of the child's health. In this case, this mom is dealing with separation from her family, culture and support systems and a baby who needs frequent visits to an orthopedic specialist. She has a lot on her plate.

Imagine what would happen if I pushed her to continue pumping and gave her messages that she should do something different for her baby? I wonder how she would receive that information and how effective I would be as a health care provider. I often think about the best way to approach each situation and when to encourage and when to support. Is there one approach that works in every situation? Not in my experience. I've found that the key is to use the art of health education. To validate, encourage and support, because then we can be a team and together find the best path toward a healthy and happy mom and baby.