Moms are strong — that’s no news flash. Also, doctors are strong — every day and especially now, in the midst of a pandemic. What is possibly stronger than a mom who is also an ER doctor working on the frontlines? Step aside, Hercules, and meet Dr. Michelle Wan, an ER doctor in Atlanta, whose breastfeeding photo is giving us life today.
“The unchartered waters of this global pandemic are overwhelming and at times, I feel discouraged,” Wan wrote in a Facebook post on Monday, sharing the professional portrait by Karen Bagley of Significant Moment Photography, which was taken before the coronavirus reached Georgia. “Then I see this picture of my daughter, and I feel strong. I gave her life and still, I am sustaining her life. She helps me see my power.”
Her post is blowing up, and we don’t need to explain to you why.
“I am powerful because daily, I am saving lives in the ER,” she continues. “In the next moment, I remove my white coat and scrubs, walk into my home, shower the stress, sadness, and debris of my ER shift off of my body, slip into my other set of powers and breastfeed this growing, beautiful little human. Our cuddles are the best. It puts my workday into perspective. Her smile makes this exhausted mommy keep going.”
When local news station 11 Alive caught up with Wan, her husband Kyle, and baby Amel this week, she also displayed her vulnerability (like the best superheroes we know).
“It’s hard to be essential when all we want to do is stay home with our babies and our families,” Wan said. “I have had moments of pretty paralyzing fear and anxiety, just worrying about — is this the day I go to work and come home and infect my family?”
We’ve heard the horrible stories of ex-husbands taking away custody of their children from their doctor ex-wives on the COVID-19 frontlines. So, we’re also giving a shout to Kyle, who told 11 Alive he’s cut back on his own work to take care of Amel while his wife saves lives.
But yeah, back to Amel’s mama.
“This beauty is a powerhouse in the medical field and an AMAZING mother!” photographer Bagley wrote when she shared the photo back in April. “She handles the pressure of a full time health-care professional IN A PANDEMIC as well as being a full-time mama. She nurses her little princess and has never had to supplement. She is a POWERHOUSE!”
Even though this is a scary time Wan hopes to remind her daughter of one aspect of it when she looks at this photo later.
“She comes from strength,” Wan said. “And in her weak moments, hopefully that picture will remind her just how strong she is.”
Here are the candid words some of our favorite celebrities have said about breastfeeding.
Source: Read Full Article