That convention stuff Phyllis mentions is called pipe and drape. It's 
usually rented from party/event rental companies, not kept onsite. And it 
gets expensive fast, which is probably why you haven't seen it.

I was listening to NPR and a paratrooper was giggling about how he went into 
a house to remove some people who had previously refused to evacuate, citing 
a million reasons, not the least of which was that it was their home & they 
had a right to stay in it. So the paratrooper literally drops into the house 
and simply announces, "It's time to go." He giggled as he told this story 
because, he said, he got NO OPPOSITION from the occupants. They went like 
sheep, getting cinched onto the line and up into the helicopter. I speculate 
that this is because most people are not generally going argue with someone 
wearing a helmet, flak jacket and flight khakis who's probably also armed. 
Come to think of it, these guys may be our best counselors... I'd certainly 
listen (oh, wait, I did almost marry a Marine so maybe I am susceptible to 
men in uniform! ;-))

Anyhow, what I sense many lactation advocates are seeing is intrinsic 
resistance on the part of the helpers. The volunteers who run these shelters 
think that they are doing the refugees from New Orleans a favour by keeping 
all these people who might want to help but who the helpers may think have 
ulterior motives or an agenda away from the refugees. Which I can sort of 
understand....

What frustrates all of us is that we in the lactation community know how to 
do this. We have LOTS of experience in emergency situations in the 
developing (and, thinking of Kosovo, the developed) world in how to start 
nursing mothers' meetings and circles who meet daily to support each other 
and get food and water. And I think we have a very powerful message to send: 
"You feel out of control, and so much of your life is actually out of 
control at the moment. Here's something you can do which will -- I guarantee 
you - put you in control of something and empower you to take charge of 
caring for your kid(s). And we can prove to you that women in unbelievable 
conditions have managed to do just this." And that is a first step in 
showing a mom how to assert herself and advocate for herself to get what she 
and her children need. Because we all know that in order to navigate the 
bureaucracy and get what they need, these people are eventually going to 
have to fight; there will be another humanitarian crisis and the aid, 
comfort & generosity will run out before the need does. That's always true.

It's said that the military always fights the last war it encountered, and I 
would like to take this moment agree with Regina Roig Lane that if we are to 
make a difference NEXT TIME, we play by the rules and get a few of us 
trained as Red Cross volunteers so we can infiltrate the system and do good 
rather than scream from the outside. Those of you in hospitals, make sure 
that you advocate for proper protocols in case of emergency evacuations of 
your LDR and pediatric wards. Mommies and babies stay together. PERIOD. I 
don't want to hear any more about 147 babies taken from a NICU and sent all 
over the US, away from their mommies. Those of us who are volunteers or 
non-hospital based LCs, find the time to do the Red Cross or Salvation Army 
training so we can be ready for the next big thing.

Respectfully,
Natalie Rawlings
LLL Leader, West Broward, Florida USA 

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