First of all, let me set the scene that many first-time moms have probably related to at some point. It was the second night after having my baby, and I was determined to make breastfeeding work out, but I had everything working against me- extreme pain when the baby latched, bruised and cracked nipples, and a very frustrated mama. Several different lactation consultants had already come by, but nothing seemed to be making my experience or pain any better. I was always told breastfeeding should not be painful, so it was extremely frustrating and confusing when I was having the complete opposite experience. It was around 10 pm, and my baby was due for his next feed, and I was in tears and dreading latching him on. I asked my nurse to call the lactation consultant to come give me any advice or help, even though I figured nothing would help at this point, but then came Erika (my lifesaver). She came within minutes and improved my breastfeeding experience within a matter of 30 minutes. She was extremely empathetic with the difficulty I had been experiencing and offered so many helpful tips and tricks to make it better. This lactation consultant really knows her stuff, and she went above and beyond to make sure I felt better before leaving. She helped me correct the baby's positioning and latch and gave me a nipple shield that decreased my pain immediately with feeding. I was hours away from giving up on breastfeeding until Erika walked into my hospital room and turned my experience around. It still took several weeks before the pain was completely gone and it became easier, but Erika gave me the hope and encouragement I needed to keep going, and I'm so glad I did. My baby is now 2 months old, and we are still going strong without difficulty or pain. I also work at TCH as a labor and delivery nurse, and I never knew how hard breastfeeding could be until I had to do it myself. As soon as I return to work, Erika will be one of the first people I find and thank, because she truly saved me and my breastfeeding experience.