Last night after church I was chatting with a friend about how busy life can get sometimes. It’s easy to often feel like we don’t have it all together and just need more hours in the day to get it all done! This week my sweet baby girl is turning the big TWO, and I’ve been running around like a crazy lady just trying to balance my work and home life while wearing many different hats: party planner, personal chef and chicken nugget cooker, chauffeur, potty training police, piggyback ride giver and kisser of boo-boos. (Parents – I know you feel me!)
And because I often have impeccably weird timing, I randomly decided to start thinking about when baby # 2 might come along and join in on all of the busyness we’re already juggling. (Notice I said thinking..not planning. We’re not ready just yet!) My mind started going in numerous different directions about my future pregnancy and all of the things that typically come along with it. I clearly needed one more thing to think about this week! 😉
One thing I know for sure I want to plan for better next time around is building a relationship with a lactation consultant and being proactive about asking questions in hopes that I’ll have a successful breastfeeding journey with my future children. As I was thinking about my previous breastfeeding experience and the things that ultimately made it not as successful as I had hoped for, I realized I actually had quite a few questions and concerns that I definitely wanted to talk to someone about before planning for another child.
As these thoughts crossed my mind, I jotted them down on some scratch paper and told myself I was going to file it away in my “I’ll do it eventually when I have time” folder. Funny thing about that folder – I tend to never go back to it. Anyone else do this? Surely I’m not alone!
Since I know myself and I knew I probably would never reach for it again, I decided to be proactive and go ahead and meet with a lactation consultant to address my questions. You may be thinking to yourself, “Uh, I thought she said she was busy. Did she seriously just schedule to meet with a lactation consultant in the midst of her jam-packed week?” I absolutely did, my friends, and I did it all within minutes – right from my own phone! #SuperMomSkills
Did you know that you can schedule an appointment with board-certified and licensed doctors any time of day or night, right from your own phone? I definitely didn’t know this until I was recently introduced to Amwell, also known as American Well. Amwell is the nation’s largest telehealth company, and their innovative vision to offer a variety of physicians on demand for people to access 24/7 has made this mama’s life SO much easier! You can access Amwell services via mobile devices (click here to download the app) or a laptop with camera access.
Knowing I can skip the waiting room (goodbye extra germ exposure!) and chat with a doctor about a condition or questions I may have makes me want to do a major happy dance! Amwell offers primary care physicians, specialist physicians, registered dietitians, licensed behavioral therapists, and just recently – lactation consultants that are all dedicated to assisting you and helping keep you healthy. I WISH I had known about Amwell when I was breastfeeding the first time around. Being able to chat with a lactation consultant from my own home (or in the middle of a feeding) and find help and support is such an amazing asset to have, and I know I’ll have it available to me when it’s time for baby #2 to enter the picture!
One of the beauties of Amwell is that you can find a physician to talk directly to immediately, or you can schedule an appointment yourself at a time that fits your schedule. I opted for an afternoon appointment the same day that I scheduled it. I hopped on my phone, sat right on my couch and had my questions ready in my hand to ask. My lactation consultant was incredibly knowledgeable and helpful. I loved the fact that I could read a little bio about her before we began out appointment to see how long she had been in practice and where she earned her degrees from.
We talked about a few common breast feeding questions I had, and then we dug deep into some of the issues I faced my first time around and how I could turn those around when I’m ready for another child. She was truly a breath of fresh air, and I didn’t even have to leave my house to see her. Y’all…does it get any better than that?!
So many new mothers have questions and concerns when it comes to breastfeeding their babies. Don’t let long drives, waiting rooms, or the inability to easily get to a lactation consultant prevent you from having a successful breastfeeding experience. Download the Amwell app and get the help you need from a board-certified lactation consultant now. They’re there for you, and trust me…they’re a total gem!
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