I always thought people should "retire To" something rather than "retiring
From" something. My Pappy used to say, "You gotta have something to
complain about or it ain't worth gettin' out of bed in the mornin'."
Meaning, you have to have something to DO, somewhere you need to BE,
something you have to FIX, so your skills & knowledge (& you) can be
USEFUL.

Here are some off the top ideas:

Teach: classes to new moms; "brown-bag" (lunch-time) inservices to
prvt.prac.Peds/OB staffers, or to working moms in their places of emplymt;
special interest classes at your local commumity (2yr) college; speak at
secondary school child development or life science or biology classes;
special interest classes offered through your city's Parks & Recreation
Dept. or library system. Some of these will pay you enough to cover
expenses and maybe a little more. Have a School of Nursing in your area?
They have to cover infant feeding at some time or another. Contact the Dean
& offer your services.

Write: info columns for newspapers or magazines; research & write articles
for magazines or journals which can lead to books (& notoriety, possibly
$$?) on your favorite 'hot topic'.

Speak: seminars, workshops, conferences, conventions.

Trade Shows: set up a display (costs $$) for your local ILCA affiliate or
BFing coalition (let them pay & you'll 'man' the booth) to hand out info,
talk to people, refer people to LLL or other nursing mom's groups, refer
people to local PPLCs or to the LC at their own hospital, inform employers
of how & why to support their BFing employees & make life easier for them
to make life easier for the employer. Often these have topical seminars
scheduled thoughout the event - arrange to speak at one. As long as you
have a booth there, why not? Trade show topics include women's issues,
family issues, baby fairs, employer or human resource issues, medical
conventions of all kinds. Read your local business-oriented newspaper for
notices of what's coming to town. Or contact your Chambers of Commerce for
convention & trade show info. (Yes, you may see a giant ABM company booth,
30-40 feet long, with their cute 20-somethings in shorts handing out
samples & gifts; but that's a fact of life. As long as they aren't
sponsoring the event, just participating like you are, not a problem. I'm
not sure I'd want to be placed on the same aisle as they are. All the more
reason to speak at one of their scheduled workshops - colorful powerpoint
presentation is essential.)

Offer to 'cover' for local PPLCs who are out of town at conferences. You'll
get a couple of days' income, keep up your practical skills, and they won't
lose clients.

Do keep up your credential - sit the exam again if you have to.

Other suggestions from anyone?
I think I'm talking myself into something...  :-D  "That time" is not too
far away for me, too.

Phyllis



> I'm getting ready to retire from employment as a Lactation Consultant in a
> hospital. I wonder if some of you would like to comment either off or on
> list, concerning what to do with Lactation skills after retiring from paid
> practicing. I am really considering not continuing practicing in the field
> at all because of years of feeling I'm swimming against the current. Where
> could I use my skills and feel rewarded?
> Liz Spannraft RNC,IBCLC

--- Phyllis Adamson, IBCLC, RLC
--- Glendale, AZ, USA
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