Kenisha Mitchell provides phenomenal, knowledgeable, and attentive care for her patients, and she also provides exceptional care for me as her patient’s mom. We were on day two of introducing feeding to my three-week-old daughter, who has CDH. Bottles were not going well, and breastfeeding was just as terrible. At the end of day two, I was ready to throw in the towel and call it quits with nursing. I was exhausted and stressed out after my baby, and I were both trying to learn a new skill. Our doctors kept emphasizing how important fortifying my breastmilk and bottle feeding would be, and I recognized that getting my daughter in a position to nurse was a lot of extra work for everyone.

Kenisha didn’t know just how worn out I was. I was about to leave for the night when she turned to me and asked if I wanted to try getting my daughter to nurse. I hesitantly said yes and was grateful for this small act that was huge for me. She helped me get my daughter out of bed and positioned correctly. She stayed nearby to be helpful but didn’t hover. For the first time in two days, I felt totally supported in my goal of nursing my baby. While I never felt unsupported in my goals, Kenisha went above and beyond by making me feel encouraged, supported, and welcome. It was one small question that may not have seemed like much, but it meant the whole world to me then.

Kenisha has since been our nurse multiple times and has been so helpful and supportive of nursing my baby. We’re now on day eight of feeding, and my daughter is becoming more comfortable with nursing while still struggling with bottles. We’re finding what works best for her and what will lead her to a faster recovery and eventual discharge. Ultimately, this will likely be what prolongs the length of time my daughter can receive breastmilk, and it will lead to so many long-term benefits for both of us.