More on this thread.  Janet you bring up some good points about the variety
of experience that is helpful, e g newborns, premies, FTT, going through to
toddlers.  I think this is why the LLL route is so effective (don't LLLers
score higher, on average, than other categories of candidates?).  LLL
Leaders usually have mothers in their groups from pregnancy through to
baby/toddler-led weaning. I count myself extremely fortunate that while I
was chasing contact hours I just happened to have (by pure chance I guess)
some of the less usual "problems" - a diabetic mum,  and cases of the
smallest pre-term baby that had at that time been born in our new private
clinic (29 weeks, 900g), very persistent sore "peaky" nipples, a mum whose
baby was neurologically impaired, twins, triplets, extended nursing-strike,
a late re-lactation,  a cleft lip/palate baby, as well as the normal
run-of-the-mill mother-baby contact all Leaders have.  What was so very
useful was that as a LLLLeader it was possible to follow up the same "case"
for weeks, months, and sometimes years - something that is rare for me as an
LC when they only contact us for the "crisis".   I didn't rely on telephone
contact, I would make home visits to see the mother and baby, document, read
everything, see them again, document, read everything *again*, etc. etc.,
observing and learning and re-learning all the time.  I see this as an
extremely effective way of gaining a very wide range of knowledge and
experience.  I know I could not have passed the exam without it.

Best wishes Janet for a happy delivery and a beautiful baby!

Pamela, Zimbabwe