Louise - "I was in so much pain"
Stories of support
I had been struggling with mastitis and painful feeding for two weeks by the time I went to Baby Umbrella. Everyone I asked seemed to have a different solution and I’d been told the latch was ‘perfect’ despite the pain I was in. I dreaded my baby waking, and though I desperately wanted breastfeeding to work out, I knew I couldn’t go on like this.
At 4am, during another excruciating night feed, I booked an appointment the next day with Baby Umbrella.
From the moment I walked into the building, I immediately felt understood. I was greeted by a volunteer who said she’d also really struggled at the beginning. She made me a hot cup of tea and found me a seat in the group.
As I sat down, Leo started waking and my stomach dropped. As soon as he started feeding, that familiar sharp pain was back. A practitioner came over to help and quickly and calmly supported me to pull Leo much closer in and slide his body round a little. Almost immediately the pain began to drop. The relief was intense! I couldn’t believe that a simple nudge in and over could have such an impact. Why had nobody shown me this before?
Over the next 40 minutes, the practitioner explained to me exactly what she had done and why, and what to look out for at home. She also explained the latest treatment guidance on mastitis (different to what I’d been told previously) and together we unpicked why I had suffered with these symptoms for so long.
I also had a good cry… all the worry and suffering of the last few weeks poured out. I’d felt so trapped and now suddenly I could see a light at the end of the tunnel.
I was invited back the following week, but over the next few days I used the simple tips I’d learned and latching became so much easier. Before I knew it I was meeting friends and feeding out and about without a second thought. I’ve dropped in a few times as Leo has got bigger and other questions have come up - the Peer Supporters are great to chat to and I know that they have been there before. I also tell every new mum I meet to go to Baby Umbrella!
"Andrea was a life saver. From the second we walked into the building I felt that I was with people who understood how I was feeling.”
Highly skilled compassionate support, delivered at the right time matters. It can feel ‘life saving’ for families in crisis, and can change the course of a parent and baby’s journey.
Stories of support
This story is a fictionalised composite, created from themes and experiences shared across many of the families we support. The short quote is real, but details have been changed to protect privacy.
