When I first called Dee, I was sobbing, holding my premature son who was also sobbing. I had
just had a meltdown with my husband saying, “I just want to make it to 12 months!” Translation: I
wanted to breastfeed our baby for a year. Thanks to Dee, this is now an inside joke between my
husband and me. When I nursed our son for the last time at 38 months, my husband chuckled
and said, “You just wanted to make it to 12 months.” We snuggled our thriving, happy, healthy,
well-bonded, and attached little boy who was once a very small premature, and sick baby. When I
walked out of his room that night I immediately texted Dee, sobbing again, because none of it
would have been possible without her. My baby, who was barely 5lbs when she first met him, is
thriving. I nursed him through prematurity, military moves, a second pregnancy,
a pandemic, and alongside his sister for 14 months. I nursed him through all of this
because Dee gave me the tools I needed in the beginning and the support I needed for the
remaining 3 years. She was the only one to diagnose our daughter’s tongue tie from a
video I sent her, despite being multiple states away from us. This was a tongue tie that multiple
local doctors, nurses, and LCs missed. She supported me when the rest of the medical
community had said formula would be easier when the same baby’s multiple protein allergies
required a strict elimination diet on my part. She never told me “breast is best,” she always said that
I knew what was best, and she helped me reach and surpass all of my goals; for my kids and
for myself. Dee is single-handedly the reason I never gave up. Dee is the very best kind of friend
and mentor to have when you have kids. I’ve never felt judged by her and always felt at ease
after talking to her. When I look at my happy and healthy children and I think of the bond we
share it’s impossible not to remember and love the woman who made it possible.
