Venting - Cultural divide

[Guest guest]

I worked with a mom several weeks ago. when baby was 12 days old, with low milk

issues. I am not going to go into the in depth details about this case as that

is not my issue. One of my suggestions was for her to take MMP, back then she

told me that her husband would not allow her to take any supplements, he is a

doctor, specializing in pain management. So she didn't take them. Things were

on an upswing but then her mom, who had been staying and helping got sick, left

and then her husband got sick so mom fled with the newborn to a neighbors house,

from NJ to Long Island near her parents house. She was still trying to pump but

things started going in the wrong direction again. Go figure. She did move

back to her moms house and was there for several weeks. She called me for the

47th time, yes we were in constant contact and I had to drag her spirits up from

the gutter every time, and through tears she told me she did not have the

support she needed and felt like she was taking time from the baby to get

something that wasn't going to work done, so she quit and returned the pump.

Baby now 7 weeks old and she called me and wants to re-lactate. She said she

has continued to put the baby to breast and she really seems to like it. She is

still suplementing but wants to increase milk, but she said she can't take

anything to help with that as her husband said he would take the baby away from

her. I explained that he couldn't legally do that but she doesn't beleive that

and is truly frightened that he will.

Ok I know it is cultural but I know she needs the supplements and this is too

frustrating. I do domestic violence counseling in my town (not hers) and that

is an offense. I feel like this case is sucking the life out of me. Thanks for

reading this far.