This list helps me brave the storms and ride the waves - and on top of
that it makes my bf coordination job soooo much easier. I especially
want to thank Patricia Gima and Lisa Marasco for their most recent
posts. I will be sharing the pool story Thursday at the WIC
breastfeeding support group.

I would love to share the pediatrician's view of intro to solids (P.
Gima's post) Is this OK with you, Patricia? I may not reprint this for
the WIC clients - sometimes the RD can be more rigid than expected on
some issues. As when I shared the concept of trough feeding...

Now, this is not a suggested way to introduce or expand solid foods in a
baby's diet, as much as it is an attitude i hoped to convey to clients.
AND The *class* is not a class as much as it is a discussion. Which can
be very challeging because some clients have very potentially harmful
feeding practices. But at least when feeding chocolate chip cookies to 3
month olds is mentioned, or peas and pears to 2 month olds are
mentioned  there is chance for non-judgemental reasons for keeping a
liquid diet (preferably breast milk - but i have had clients tell me
that *the only thing my baby likes is coffee creamer*!)

So, trough feeding..well, many years ago i met a mom at an LLL meeting.
As time went by we visited each other at home and one day the kids
(crawling but not waliking yet) seemed bored/hungry and in need of
entertainment/diversion so as was my habit when by myself I grabbed a
bag of puffed rice (brown and from the health food store - this was in
1977 or 78) and poured it into the little pull cart that said PLAYSKOOL
on the side that had carried wooden blocks before they were strewn
about.

My friend still remembers this moment (and we have laughed about it)
because who would feed infants puffed rice in a trough like *slopping
pigs*!!!

After i put the rice in the trough/cart her daughter (the little
crawling visitor) stared at this stuff in this cart and then looked up
at me and started laughing like only a baby can - shoulders bobbing up
and down and eyes getting reddened. And I remember thinking *oops*,
*probably not proper to feed a baby in a trough- what will my new friend
think*.

Well, she thinks just fine - in fact she teaches university level math
now and both our daughters turned 20 years old (in May and June). But
share that *kind* of feeding solids story and some people think you're
outside the mainstream (yippeeee).

I realise this is a long post - but it was a long day. And i guess it
was a good day. After 6 years of being the bf coordinator for WIC in
this county and talking about BFHI and the Code and the attributes of
breastfeeding over and over I was invited to attend a start up meeting
for a new team of perinatal home health. And i got to watch and provide
input for the re-inventing of the wheel. These gals have *discovered*
the importance of breastfeeding. I brought along a very old copy of a
self assessment of BFHI protocols and they OOOHHed and AAHHED and said
*wow they had talked about this but didn't know how to get a copy*. I
was so amused - but remained poker faced (but smiled).

So, our local hospital has been bought out by another outfit and the
administration is different than before.BF  Legislation is on the books
in Calif - and its summertime. Hope all you who go to DC have a great
time.

Paula Bermingham, IBCLC
CEMR-WIC Lake County CA