Becky,

I'm sorry you thought our messages were hostile - I don't think any of us
meant it that way...you will see lots and lots of babies at ILCA, and there
is a mother's room where you can take the baby if he/she gets fussy.  But in
all our zeal for caring for moms & babies, I think it important to remember
that we are professionals, and we are attending a professional conference.
 For all of us that have paid $325 + to attend a conference, we want to be
able to hear and be immersed in what is going on.  As someone (Martha?  Queen
of noise?) pointed out, whispering adults are just as annoying to someone
trying to concentrate as a baby who is crying.  So a word to the wise to all
of us who want to make an aside to our neighbor in the middle of a
lecture.....

So Becky, come to ILCA, go to LLL, but you are right, there are conferences
where your baby will not be welcome.  As long as you have a baby, you just
don't go to those conferences - and it is their loss.  It is a good idea,
however, if you get a brochure from one of those groups who state in the
brochure that babies are not welcome (for whatever reason) that you drop them
a polite note stating you would love to attend, but because of their "no
baby" policy, you will not be going.  (I don't care if your "baby" is 13 --
if you feel strongly about this issue, then you must speak up!)

Off my s.b.

Jan