I first met Dee when she worked at a small-town hospital where I delivered my first child. I was very worried about nursing and when people asked me if I planned on nursing I would always give an unsure, “I’m going to try.” In my mind, nursing was something only a few people’s bodies were capable of doing and I wasn’t sure I was going to be the lucky few. I had heard other people share their experiences and when I heard most bottle-fed their babies, I assumed it was because some moms just couldn’t nurse their babies.
Dee was with me every step of the way in that small hospital and treated me (and was present at my bedside) as if I were the only mother in the hospital giving birth. She was there at delivery and was helping me immediately and within that first hour until we got my son to latch. Dee is so calming, comforting, caring, and encouraging. Of course, as a new mother, I was a nervous wreck. Dee never once made me doubt I could nurse. Throughout my hospital stay, she was there with me and that has continued outside of the hospital room to this day.
We moved away from that area shortly after my first child was born, and I now have 3 children aged 3 and under. I delivered my second and third at a much larger hospital network, in a large city, and one thing is for sure, Dee is the best Lactation Consultant there is. The hospital I delivered my other children at boasted of their 30+ Lactation Consultants, boasting of how nursing-friendly they were, yet there was a huge disconnect from what they claimed and how I was treated as a mother giving birth. I never experienced an LC at my bedside after delivery. I had to request to see one during my stay and had doubts placed into my mind of if I could nurse properly. By the time I had my third, I felt much more comfortable reaching out to Dee rather than relying on the lactation consultant staff at the hospital I delivered at. Dee’s services and heart are far above anyone I’ve ever encountered. She has continued to be my biggest supporter as a nursing mother, and has always been there in a pinch when I’ve been worried about something, or if I had questions regarding supply issues, medications, etc. There are not enough words I could write to get across how wonderful she is. She’s not just a Lactation Consultant; she’s made it her mission to support other women. She has been so much of a help and inspiration to me, I’ve made it my goal to do exactly what she does someday. I am a stay-at-home mother and someday, when my kids are much older, I’m hoping I can be half the help and support she is to other women who need encouragement and support in their Breastfeeding Journey.