I put Mom on the airport shuttle this morning. I will really miss her companionship as I face the first week home alone with Claire. It was lots of fun to hear her stories of birthing and raising 5 kids over many decades, from my brother Tom, born in 1949, to me, born in 1968. Technologies changed, "standard procedures" in the hospitals changed, and "conventional wisdom" also changed dramatically over the decades. While Mom got to stay in the hospital for 5 days minimum after each delivery, she didn't have things like my electric portable breast pump. (It has been my salvation the last 10 days before we got a professional out to help address Claire's latching problems.)

I cannot speak highly enough of the noble calling of lactation consultants. I'd honestly begun to belive that my baby hated me, she was having such a hard time latching on. The success we've finally had getting Claire to feed from me again has given me new hope and enthusiasm for being a mom. Hooray for the pros!