Hello, I am Pat Gima.  I've been reading lactnet for two weeks and
thoroughly enjoying it.  I am an IBCLC even though my name doesn't say it.
My daugter did the subscribing work and didn't know that I wanted it after
my name.  I've been told that I must go off and re-subscribe in order to get
my title on.  I'll decide if it matters to me. Will someone let me know if
this is not the case?

I was among those brave souls who sat the FIRST exam in 1995, and I have the
"opportunity" to repeat the experience this summer.  I was an LLLL for 23
years, overlapping that with LC work for a few years.  I am now in private
practice in the Milwaukee area and am very busy. Until recently, I was the
only LC in private practice--tooooo much!  I do only home visits, which fits
my style well.
The major difference I find with my work now is that mothers NEED on-going
support as LLL can offer, but if they won't go to meetings, they want me to
be an entire support organization.  Once the technical work is done, the
REAL work begins. I always did appreciate what LLL had to offer and my
appreciation grows.

I have two breastfed daughters--Lia, 28 and Alison, 24.  We continue
learning Life's lessons from each other.

We won't do it all right, but we don't have to.

Patricia Gima, BS, IBCLC
e-mail: [log in to unmask]