In a message dated 7/5/98 6:09:10 PM, you wrote:

<<be careful because after seeing breastfeeding problems all day, she tended
to "see pathology everywhere.">>

As a new mom myself, fifteen years ago, I did what I knew and was comfortable
with based on years of experience as a pediatric intensive care nurse - this
included  assessing my newborn's heart and breath sounds, nail beds and
pupils. When she convinced me that she wasn't going to die right away of
something awful, I stopped doing her cardio-vasular-respiratory-neuro
assessment checks. Still, when reacting to my own kids symptoms,  many fevers
have been feared to herald meningitis and many a bruise has caused me to
suspect leukemia until ruled out - usually by my non-medical, calm, optimistic
dh making common sense observations. Paranoid me: "She can't explain that
bruise, I'm worried it's something bad like leukemia". DH:"She ran three miles
today and is eating like a horse - it's just a bruise".

A history of medical background or non-medical background may be the basis for
some of the challenges and learning opportunities we come across in working
with people with a wide variety of experience.

Thankfully I had three relatively long and uncomplicated breastfeeding
experiences of my own to help set a foundation of normalcy, from which to
build upon.

On my "to do" list for the last several years: attend one of the LLL meetings
that I recommend to new moms.

Deb

Deborah Tobin RN BSN IBCLC LCCE
Springfield, Virginia USA
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