HI,

  I don't often use my initials because they do confuse and I forgot they
are in my header (just found a way to remove them.)  I am embarrassed
sometimes because I think maybe that I will be lumped in with someone who
has taken a "one day or seven day wonder course" and only that, because I
feel I have more ability and experience than that.  (No offense Jan, I
understand where you are coming from). My introduction is posted January 9th
2000.  I visited Lactnet a few times before that when Medela first posted
about it (maybe in 97?) but didn't spend much time on it at that time.  I
have been following threads and posting occassionally since my introduction.
 Haven't been on too much lately because of my dad's stroke, etc. problems
back in November.  (By the way, the acute care center doctor has ok'd the
use of human milk for a trial period.  Won't help the stroke, of course, but
I am still hopeful that it will help him fight all of the staph, respiratory
infections he has been getting (MRSA's).)and maybe help his kidneys,
although they have failed.

I started helping mom's in 94 with breastpumps and mother to mother help
(nothing fancy just basically support and pumping instruction at that
time, but as more and more questions were asked and there was NO ONE in
our town that could help, I had to start studying (Been through both
editions of Riordan/Auerbachs "Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, Ruth
Lawrence, Counseling the Nursing Mother, LLL Answer Book, Hale, Clinical
Therapies and on and on, you name it I probably have it).

I am certified as a lactation counselor by the Lactation Counselor
Certificate Training Program given by the Health Education Associates
co-sponsored by the Healthy Children 2000 Project and The Center for
Breastfeeding and having completed the Breastfeeding Educator Program
sponsored by Lactation Education Resources in Bethesda, Maryland (this is no
longer offered as an educator course as it was not meant to be used for
certification ). I have been teaching breastfeeding education classes at our
local pregnancy center for 3 years.

There are several Educator courses that I have heard of but I see that they
are getting listed by some of the other CLE's.

In working toward becoming an International Board Certified Lactation
Consultant (IBCLC) I have accumulated, in just the past 3 years, over 200
LCERPs (continuing education credits in lactation) and plan on continuing my
studies, while working to encourage and help mothers and babies to have a
healthy, successful breastfeeding relationship. IBCLC is my ultimate goal.
I am just trying to get the documented hours together. Before my LCERPS I
went to state LLL conferences and didn't get the certificates for sessions
that I took.

I also plan to earn a bachelors degree with an area of concentration in
Maternal Child Health: Lactation Consulting.

I am an 8 year member of La Leche League International of Ohio, attending
conferences since 1996, and have been helping mothers with latch on
problems, over and under supply issues, engorgement, mastitis, yeast
(thrush) infections, plugged ducts, pumping for premature babies, even a
case where the mothers pain stemmed from a bout with her fibromyalgia. (It
does take detective work sometimes), relactation and lots more.

My interest in helping others started with problems experienced upon my
returning to work with my second child.  The attitudes about pumping my milk
at work  (causing mastitis and plugged ducts to me) and my mother in law
feeding my son too much while I was at work and my inexperience in handling
my son's nursing strike taught me that nursing can have many obstacles.  (My
first child, Megan, was breastfed without incidence, for 18 months.  I
didn't have to return to work, thankfully and everything worked the way it
is meant to. My 3rd child nursed for 5 years.)

I hope this isn't too much information and is some of what you were looking
for.  I am sorry if I offended anyone with the initials.

Thank you,
Cheryl

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