Mentoring Support

When breastfeeding doesn’t seem to be working out for a new mom, depression, anxiety, and a feeling of defeat can quickly set in. That’s what happened to Katherine McEnroe after her son, Jack, was born.

“We encountered issues along the way,” says Katherine. “But I heard about CDR’s Breastfeeding program and immediately called for help.”

The help came quickly. When Jack was only 9-days-old, mother and son attended CDR’s Breastfeeding Support Group for mentoring, advice, and community. “Everyone came up to me one by one and introduced themselves,” says Katherine. “I felt so welcomed and immediately experienced the support I needed.”

But it turned out that, for Katherine and Jack, there was more than one obstacle to breastfeeding. Little Jack had a lip tie that made nursing difficult for him. On top of that, something in Katherine’s diet was upsetting his digestive system.

“Kara, my lactation consultant, showed me exercises that would help Jack strengthen his jaw muscles to make him a more efficient eater. And the staff and volunteers also helped me work through my diet to find out what was bothering him.”

The McEnroes didn’t miss a session, but breastfeeding problems continued to crop up now and then.

“I hit my lowest point one day when I was having a lot of pain from a clogged duct,” Katherine says. “I ended up calling one of the program’s volunteers, Kris Kiley, and she walked me through it.” The support and friendship Katherine found in the breastfeeding group will continue long after she returns to work.

“I made friends that I know will be there for me,” she says. “I can’t imagine how it would feel if I didn’t have CDR to turn to.”