Hi all! I'm fairly new to LactNet, I guess a lurker!, so let me introduce
myself.

My name is Samantha Purnell, I'm a registered nurse currently doing
telephone triage for the largest hospital system in Delaware (USA),  a
wanna-be lactation consultant (the breastfeeding calls I answer are often
frustrating - I'd like to do it more hands on), and already totally addicted
to this list!!

I'm a couple of days behind on my mail, but Maureen had posted about info on
cleft palates and  the widesmiles website.  I recently searched for info on
this topic as follow-up for a call I had.  Most of the information regarding
clefts and breastfeeding was fairly negative and disappointing, but I did
find some really good info at www.cleft.org.  Now this is a hospital's web
page - kind of advertising their services, but it sounds wonderful.  Go
under "after repair" and at the bottom there is a button specifically for
breastfeeding (that's how I found it anyway).  This hospital is doing very
early cleft repairs and talks about how the soft breast is flexible and
ideal for the baby's mouth and that  breastmilk is the optimal choice for
feeding a cleft lip/palate baby b/c it is non-irritating to the mucous
membranes if it leaks into the nose, etc.  Anyway I think it's worth a
look!!  :>)


Samantha Purnell, RN
 (nursing mom to Kayla 17 months and aspiring lactation consultant - private
e-mail would be appreciated if anyone has words of wisdom on pursuing
this!!)
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