As we enter 2020, I’ll admit, I had no resolutions. I didn’t even manage to get my “Year in Review” out in time (still haven't done it). We were 5 days into the New Year before I finally decided what my resolution is.
I’ve decided that this year, I will be more mindful of my professional recommendations and in my interactions with my clients. Yesterday, I was doing my monthly laundry sorting for my 2 year old. Once a month, I hang all his clothes as outfits so that Daddy and I can just grab a hanger and go. Also, I don’t have to worry about any creative Dad outfits that don’t match or are too small. Biweekly, I roll socks and t-shirts. This process just works for our busy lifestyles. On my personal Facebook page, I’m always sharing my parenting hacks, fails, and blunders; I’m pretty transparent that way. I wanted to triumphantly post that we’d survived another month of the Clothing Haul.
And then, I stopped.
Sorting your child’s clothing and only having to do it once a month is a GREAT IDEA….. For parents who have enough clothes for their child to do so. For parents who work as hard as I do or harder and have other responsibilities, it is completely insensitive and tone deaf.
My privilege was showing. And I began to wonder if my privilege shows in the way I practice.
And so, this year, my resolution is to keep mindfulness at the forefront of my practice. I want to be very cognizant of the evidence-based advice I’m sharing, while ensuring the counseling portion of it doesn’t get thrown by the wayside. In a country that does not offer mandated or paid maternity and paternity leave, evidence based guidance to not pump for the first six weeks postpartum does nothing to help that family when Mom has to return to work at 2 weeks. For a client who’s insurance doesn’t cover the cost of a visit and they are paying out of pocket, see a LC comes off as tone deaf. Let Daddy care for baby while you take time to relax is useless self care advice for a single parent. In cultures where family plays a huge roll, “tell them that you’re the parent!” does nothing, but add more stressed to new parents.
Used with permission from Kristin Cavuto, LCSW, IBCLC
I want to inspire my clients and assist them in whatever their goals may be. I want to provide best practice and evidence based research while applying it practically. I want to advocate for the working class and the non working class. I want to serve. The need for evidence based care does not negate the need for empathy, sympathy, and compassion based care.
I believe that as lactation professionals, we have to hold ourselves to a certain standard. In order to affect change, we must be willing and able to serve. We must be willing to meet our clients exactly where they are and help them get to where THEY want to be, not where our education tells us they should or could be. I’d like to think that I'm a pretty good counselor and clinician. I listen to my clients, I’m open-minded and I walk in to every consult ready and willing to serve. However, that doesn’t mean there isn't room for improvement. And in 2020, I am reminded that I need to hold myself responsible for checking my privilege.