Going back to when I was breastfeeding my first son, I was unaware that public breastfeeding was a thing, I fed my baby whenever and wherever he needed me to. Similarly, I was not aware that pumping at work was such a big deal. I pumped while sitting in traffic jam on the way to work, I pumped in toilets, empty conference rooms, and during busy times at my desk in open plan office. I put my pumped breastmilk in storage bags in the company freezer in the communal kitchen. Once, I was asked about the time taking to pump, I equated it to my colleagues going for a 10 min smoke every 90 minutes and surely that was far less productive than what I was doing, never heard it again. It was only when I left the corporate environment and emerged myself in the lactation world that I discovered that potentially there may have been an issue with my actions at the office. I put it down to my lack of social awareness or that if you just do something with confidence, no one will question you.
Back to the present, I received a WhatsApp message from a client that over the years has become a good friend. For both of us it has been a journey of learning, through many BBM's (I am getting old), phone calls, visits, glasses of wine. Always willing to be a test subject for advice, techniques, and understanding what mothers go through.
So what does this have to do with a butterfly? As a lactation consultant, I am passionate about breastfeeding and more often than not feel like I am failing parents at changing the world. I scroll through social media and this reinforces failure. Pictures and pictures of friends, family, clients and strangers with their baby and the ever present bottle. I am only entering this professionally long into the challenge, mentors have been at this for a lot longer, and with slower results. But each day through various means; 1:1 consultations, group training, workshops, blogs, WhatsApp messages and groups, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and every other media available we try and get our passion across.
The day that you hear that an article that you posted, assumed that was scrolled past, was actually READ, IMPLEMENTED, EVALUATED and SHARED. When you get an aerial view of how one small part, ripples to one mother, and she can see the value in what she has done and how it can make the way for everyone else easier.
It is a good day!
Samantha Crompton RN, RM, (general, community, psych), SACLC
BNURS (Wits)
SJC Consulting cc
Lactation Consultant SACLC, Childbirth educator, Post Natal support and Preggi bellies instructor
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_effect. 18/1/2017.
