Dear Lactnetters,
        Time to quit lurking and say Hi! My name is Becky Mannel and I live
in Edmond, OK (suburb of OK City). I am a CBE ,(also a retired Medical
Technologist), hoping to take the IBLCE next year. I am the 'Breastfeeding
Coordinator' for the HOPE Center Health Clinic (part-time, volunteer) which
I have been doing for about 4 years (about the time we added WIC services
and needed an official 'BC'). I am the mother of 3, all nursed (from 16mos.
to 30mos.), who are now 5-10 yrs old. I have been a member of LLL since my
first child was about 1 yr old. As my youngest is soon to be in 1st
grade(!), I am hoping to expand my work at the clinic and also become an
IBCLC. I would like to appear more professional (and act that way, too!) to
reinforce the importance of my work at the clinic. Currently, I teach
prenatal bf. classes and coteach infant care classes. All of our clients are
low or no-income. I am also available for lact. consults at the clinic. I am
trying to improve this area which is hit or miss. I hear too late that
someone was having problems. In the past, I've done mainly phone consults as
that was all I could manage.
        As our state has been going to managed health care plans for all
Medicaid pts. we will now have all our OB pts. delivered at one hospital
which is not bf-friendly. I know because I had my 3rd baby there and my
husband is on faculty there (Gyn-Oncology). So I am looking at how to
approach this to let it be known that their breastfeeding management could
stand some improvement. They do not have an LC though it has been requested
by the OB dept. With all the financial problems going on, it is very
unlikely that one will be hired. (If it was part-time, I might even apply.)
Anyway, we have a lot of moms who want to breastfeed at our clinic and, as
y'all know, a bad start at the hospital can be the beginning of the end. Any
thoughts or approaches that have been successful would be much appreciated.
        I've enjoyed reading all the info on Lactnet. It's a great idea.

Becky Mannel, CBE (IBCLC wanna-be), Stephen Minister, Jr. Achievement
teacher, dog trainer, gardener extraordinaire, party
hostess-at-a-moment's-notice,....