Abstract
I
On top of the challenges managing our personal and family situations in the face of lockdowns and social distancing, we have taken on personal risk as we kept caring for those who rely on us before the availability of vaccines and in the setting of initial shortages of personal protective equipment. We have poured over scientific journals and announcements from public health officials, been glued to our TVs, and watched as the case and death numbers rose, perseverating on the predictive models.
Our day-to-day work shifted in an instant, some of us seeing entirely different types of complaints or concerns, some of us in clinical settings that were eerily quiet, and others strained to the max—all while wearing blurry, foggy, itchy, uncomfortable, and tight “space suit” gear. Some of us have lost friends or loved ones, or have been mildly or even very sick ourselves. We have listened while numerous people and organizations have doubted science, spouted untruths, disrespected experts, and denied potentially life-saving measures such as masking, social distancing, and getting vaccinated.
In Breastfeeding Medicine, many mothers and infants were initially separated out of fear of transmission of the virus if mothers were positive or suspected to be positive for COVID when so much was uncertain about how the virus worked. Lack of contact made it that much more difficult to establish breastfeeding, and many mothers were not instructed to or assisted with expressing their milk. This very thing happened to my brother and his wife when they welcomed their son, my nephew, into this world in the middle of a surge. It is only through the advocacy and phenomenal efforts of individuals, networks, and organizations such as the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, that evidence was quickly gathered and practices and policies quickly changed to allow for rooming-in once relative safety was demonstrated and the risks of not breastfeeding were factored into the equation.
We watched with heartbreak as some mothers gave birth without having their spouse, partners, and/or loved ones at their side due to visitor restrictions, and heard so many stories of partners, siblings, and grandparents being unable to meet and bond with the newest member of the family. Families with relatives living in other countries were uncertain when they would ever see each other face-to-face as travel was severely limited due to spread of the virus and all of the different variants. There is an entire generation of 2-year-olds right now who may never have seen real live faces in person without a mask other than those in their “bubble,” or have never been in public places such as markets among crowds of people.
The pandemic has also highlighted and exacerbated inequities. We are all in this veritable storm together, and yet each of us is equipped with different models of boats and equipment, so to speak. We have to be continuously mindful that we are all on our own journey with varying hardships and needs.
My family and I have been very lucky. To date, our biggest hardships have been canceled business trips and vacations, and missing dining in restaurants and attending events in large venues—previously favorite pastimes. Instead of our usual annual holiday plans, we rented a large, recreational vehicle over the holidays, drove half-way across the country, and camped in front of our family's homes so we could gather outside, although in the freezing cold and rain. I have picked up some new hobbies such as pickle ball and painting, and I even set up a workout area in our basement.
This time has not been completely without heartache for us though as my middle daughter was especially impacted, with every meaningful milestone event of her senior year of high school lost or drastically changed such as prom, the entire varsity soccer season including senior night, and graduation. There were a lot of tears. Starting college was not as expected either, with quarantine dorms, all virtual classes, universal masking, and only one food option daily in the dorm cafeteria instead of the award-winning spread (a small but relatively impactful change).
The good news is, the vaccines do work, and mitigation with masking and social distancing does work! We know so much more about this virus and the known variants than we did at the start. On the whole, we have been able to witness the strength of humanity in our colleagues and in the new families we serve, from creative solutions for important events such as virtual meetings and get-togethers, “drive-by” events, and family gatherings outside with masks to welcome new babies, to the surge in telehealth and virtual communication technology, and grocery and meal delivery platforms that will likely never revert to “normal.” Another silver lining has been that parents have had more opportunities to work remotely, perhaps allowing more time with their children by decreasing the stress and time of commuting, though for some this has added to their stress.
It is safe to say that we are all a bit “done,” or a bit “crispy” to quote one of my mentors. I do not know when this will end, and what our “new normal” will look like. What I do know is that we have been and still are going through A LOT! We need to give ourselves grace, celebrate and appreciate moments of joy, practice gratitude, and be kind to each other. Here at the Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine, I know I speak for all of us when I say that we see you, we care about you and those you care for, and we are here with you and for you both now and in the future. We are committed to working tirelessly on the mission and vision and strategic priorities of the organization and to remaining nimble and responsive to the changing landscape.
Here is hoping for a brighter future for us all! Stay safe and well.