I have an opportunity to work with the Nurse/liason at our Milwaukee Cleft
Clinic, which has NOT been breastfeeding friendly, to say the least.  I am
"new" to them and they don't know that I work closely with the hospital LCs
whom they have conflicted with through the years.

I have been working with two mothers and babies with a cleft challenge and
my name came to the attention of the clinic.  The nurse called me and we
had an informational visit.  The time seems right to expand their
consciousness--the woman is open to some of my ideas.

She is the person who attends all of the conferences on Cleft and said that
she had never heard a presentation on breastfeeding and cleft, but that she
would be glad to promote such a presentation if I could give her a couple
of names to offer the planners.

So, I want some suggestions.  This will *not* be an ILCA conference, and we
need someone who will be able to present what is possible while not
sounding as if she/he believes it...No, Pat, that's not fair.  We need
someone who will be able to present what is possible, while acknowledging
the variables, and the challenges to the surgeons--respecting their
expertise and experience, and addressing the long-range picture of a child
with a cleft. Also someone who knows how to present conflicting protocols
without sounding conflicting. Also someone who is practiced in presenting
material to Medicos or their representatives in a way that en-courages them
to more flexibility.

That's quite an assignment so, assuming that God is rather busy, whom do
you recommend for this presentation?

I'm quite excited about the possibility of infusing a drop of breastmilk
into the offices of this clinic.  The fact that she is even talking with me
is a giant step.

Awaiting your "usual" wisdom,

Patricia Gima, IBCLC
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Upper Midwest, USA
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