Greetings to all.  My name is Karen Page.  I have been a Navy Nurse for 15
years and prior to that a civilian nurse for three years.  My interest is
primarily in Childbearing families .  I have been teaching Prepared
Childbirth classes (noncertified) for 10 years .  Additionally, I have been
teaching and helping women breastfeed for 10 years (non certified at this
time).  I have 6 years combined experience in Labor & Delivery,  Postpartum,
Nursery/NICU and Pediatrics Med/Surg.  I am striving for IBCLC.

I just returned from a 6 month deployment  in Zagreb, Croatia where I served
with the United Nations at the Navy's Fleet Hospital Five serving  UN
peacekeepers in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia.  We  only provided care to
United Nations employees and United Nations peacekeeper personnel; however,
 I did see pregnant women as wives to foreign soldiers and their children.
 It was very strange but special to have them visit our hospital.  Our
facility was a large tent (like on MASH) under a airport hangar bay.  I am
certainly glad to finally be home with my husband (who is also in the Navy)
and my two sons, 8 and 3 years old.

I just returned to work this week at Naval Medical Center, Portsmouth, VA
after taking some R&R.  I am working in the Maternal/Infant Department where
I am attempting to influence my hospital to establish a Lactation Consultant
service.

Please pass all words of wisdom, suggestions, recommendations and good
wishes.  I can certainly use any and all advice from others who have
"pioneered" setting up this type of service at their facilities.

Glad to be able to network with women who share a common interest so near and
dear to my heart.

Sincerely,  Karen