Magnificently!  

Sorry, just had to answer the question that way, because I have attended
lactation conferences all over the US and in Australia (thanks to ILCA) and
still LLLI Conferences are the ones that really "fire me up"...

Why?  Because there ARE CEU sessions for professionals AND sessions for many
others such as some for moms of little ones, some for parents of young
preschoolers, some for home schoolers, some for parents of teens, and some
for dads, some for Peer Counselors, some for Leaders (how to run groups, how
to help Leader applicants) some for Leader Applicants (how to answer
telephone call questions, dealing with groups, etc.) and the lovely
appearance of babies, toddlers, young children and teens all over the place
- kids you want your kids to know, kids you want your kids to be like, kids
you'd like your kids to date (As we joked, Pam Wiggins and I)!

The teens at this conference were as great as ever - doing everything from
book store to room monitors to entertaining!  There ARE rooms for kids to
play and wear themselves out - but they are also welcome in the conference
sessions.  They also provided us with music and dancing!

...and WEARING your baby is NORMAL here!  All sorts of carriers sported by
moms, dads, grandmas, aunts, siblings, children carrying their dolls...

No, nothing is like an LLLI Conference - and then you get to talk to others
who let us know that we're NOT doing the BEST for our mothers (we're the
ONLY developed country that doesn't give working moms a break after
delivery) We are WAY BEHIND in getting our hospitals "baby friendly"...

It's experiences like these, listening to Canadians, South Africans,
Australians, and talking to Leaders and IBCLCs from all over the world that
get me "fired up" again...watch out, I'm ready to roll again!!!!

Just like my little La Leche League group in my town - where moms remind me
of the NORMAL issues and problems that still need to be addressed, not just
the serious MRSA, NICU, FTT and all those other initials...  Newly delivered
moms need help and in our area we abandon them with no more than a visit at
2 weeks and 2 months for the baby and one for her at 5 - 6 weeks
postpartum...and we think we're providing good care!  

Off to begin celebrating the 10th year of our Breastfeeding Coalition on
Tuesday and then World Breastfeeding Week!  And YES, I plan to be at ILCA -
but LLLI - well THAT'S DIFFERENT!

Jeanette Panchula, BSW, LLLL (La Leche League Leader), RN, PHN (Public
Health Nurse), IBCLC
California, USA

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
Mail all commands to [log in to unmask]
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask])
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask])
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]