I have sometimes been the "designated bouncer" at VLCA/VNA (that's
VT LCA and visting nurses- ce) conferences.  What we do is announce that
we have made "a political decision to welcome babies at conferences and in
our lives."  I tell people that they are welcome to change seats  or talk
to me if baby noises are bothering them.  We also make a LLL-style
statement that "moms should feel free to leave the room if they feel their
babies are having a hard time".  It is indeed logistically difficult and
expensive to pipe the speaker in somewhere else.  (Hmmm..it might be very
logistically difficult!)  We have always had a pump room available.
        It bugs me that our worst problem with noise is usually rude
persons chitchatting in the back of the room!  Even with world-class
speakers!
        Many people tell us they enjoy our lunchtime facilitated tables.
They're assigned by topic, gives you a chance to network easily at lunch.
        The other goofball thing to make sure you mention on your
conference folder is, "Bring a sweater or light jacket, as hotel conf
rooms are notoriously difficult to make climactically comfortable for
everyone."  Our first year, probably 1/3 of the comments were, " Too hot."
Too cold.  Too hot.  Too cold."
        One other favorite thing about conferences:  baby cries, half of
participants hold arms against nipples as their prolactin surges!
        Kathleen Bruce, by the way, midwifed us through our first
conferences.  Kathleen Auerbach  was our first (fantastic!) speaker.  I
gave Kathleen Auerbach rocks as a present.  (in a velvet bag.  we're
classy.)  We're still in the lovely hotel on Lake Champlain where we did
our first conference -- the staff sends us breastfeeding jokes!
--Dawn Kersula, Green Mtn Mama (RN,FACCE,IBCLC)
"Oh wonderful wonderful and yet again wonderful and after that out of all
whooping."  Madeline L'Engle