Betsey McBurney's post from Australia and a number of others recently
about physicians have made me think I am living in heaven (sort of!)

Twenty -two years ago I was on a committee of our Regional Health Council
examining Maternal -Child Health Care for a population of over 300,000--members
were lawyers, physicians ,hospital administrators, labour union leaders,
etc., and me, the consumer.  Theresa was breastfed at all meetings including
the one where she was four days old.  Mike, now 18,  my only premie was
born at 31 weeks gestation when I had Hepatitis A.  He never received formula,
never got a bottle of anything and was discharged at twenty-six days of
age , four pounds 1/2 ounce, totally breastfed.   My youngest attended
her first concert  of Baroque  music at 6 days of age, with the
understanding approval of the conductor and an aisle seat, just in case!

I am presently working part-time at a Family Practice clinic where in
addition to client care I also teach residents, mentor a student midwife and
conduct teaching rounds for residents in paediatrics, family
medicine and occasional visitors such as psychiatrists and ER physicians.  I am a resource person
on breastfeeding for medical and nursing students at the university.

I am always impressed by the interest in breastfeeding and the courtesy
of these physicians- in-training.   They usually have a good
knowledge base about anatomy and physiology, they sometimes have gaps in
knowing the importance of breastfeeding and they are most willing to learn
about management, either in teaching sessions with me or when I am seeing
their patients with them.

I guess what I am trying to say in this very long post is that we can all
act as
change agents.  ---     If we know where we want to go, why we want to get
there, if we have reliable proven information ( and I am including sound research
to back up what most of us know almost instinctively)  and if we always
have the utmost respect for those we deal with, including formula
salespeople,  we will definitely make a difference.

Keep up the good work all of you--everyone wants what is best for babies,
some just need a bit more education about what that is, and lots of
support to do it.  Eileen Ahearn Shea, BSc, IBCLC