Hopefully, in the days since IBCLC Day, you’ve received expressions of gratitude and gratefulness for the work you do with breastfeeding families. We received the following poem from Lindsay Giroux, a first-time mother to Eric Ryan (6 months) from Cary, North Carolina, USA. Lindsay and Eric attend a wonderful breastfeeding support group weekly, led by two IBCLCs, Bonny Reid Cullom and Bonnie Marcotte Moore. The stories of other mothers’ challenges, and the support from the IBCLCs, inspire the poem’s verses.
Nipples burning, might be thrush
Cluster feeding and in no rush
Vasospasms, lightning boob
Nipples like a lipstick tube
Milk blisters, mastitis
Random pain, leftboobitis
Swollen nipple, clogged ducts
Shallow latch, reflux
Pedi says slow weight gain
Chomping, teething, nipple pain
Engorgement, leaking through pads
Clueless, confused, baby dads
Frustratingly low pumping yield
Weaning off the nipple shield
Trying hard to boost supply
Green poops, MSPI
Baby prefers a faster flow
Returning to work, don’t wanna go
Forceful letdown in baby’s face
No freezer stash for just in case
Won’t drink from a bottle, or a cup
Feeling like milk is drying up
Low milk transfer, tongue tie
Fussy baby, don’t know why
Baby has teeth and likes to bite
Can’t get the SNS just right
Lipase milk that baby won’t drink
Nursed all night, can’t really think
Nursing is hard; Don’t know what to do,
Here comes an LC to the rescue!
Fenugreek ’til you smell sweet
Heating pads with lots of heat
More Milk Plus, Mother’s Milk tea
Tongue tie clipped by the ENT
Blessed thistle, special blend
Soothie gels ’til your nips mend
APNO magic cream
Recline to lessen the stream
Power pumping for an hour
Try massage in the shower
Epsom salts to soak the breast
Side lying to get some rest
Move the milk to make some more
Dangle feed on all fours
Eat oatmeal and try flaxseed
Mama’s milk is all they need
Nurse and nurse right through a cold
Try the Boppy or a football hold
Scald the milk, don’t let it boil
Try nipple butter or coconut oil
Give probiotics once a day
Paced bottle feeding is the way
Skin to skin snuggle fest
Make a sandwich with your breast
Domperidone and goat’s rue
Visualize while pumping too
For milk storage, the rule of six
Swirl the bottle if hindmilk sticks
Nipple toward the nose, flange the lip
Get support on Joined at the Nip
Need to reduce an oversupply
Block feeding, give it a try
Or cabbage leaves, cold like ice
Peppermint tea might work quite nice
Burp often while feeding
Kellymom is good for reading
Leave the breastaurant open all day
Some babies snack, some like the buffet
Check diapers- dirty and wet
If they’re plenty, you’re all set
Look at the baby, not the scale
Breast compressions, Guinness ale
Your baby is perfect, that is true
Do whatever works for you
It is hard work, but, alas,
Like everything, this too shall pass.
All that rhyming, just to say,
Happy IBCLC Day!
