Hi, everyone!  I'm Tamara Terrell, who received a B.A. from UNC-
Chapel Hill in 1981 but is finally learning what she wants
to be when she grows up!  I'm currently a labor assistant
and in September will start nursing school.  Also a volunteer at the
local hospital holding preemies at the Neonatal ICU.  I'd like to be
a CNM, I believe.  Options are open at this point, however!

My job to make $$ right now and gain "some" experience, is as a
secretary to the two Perinatologists that serve Western North
Carolina, and two CNM's, and two Ultrasound Tech's and one Social
Worker.  --whew--

I subscribed to lactnet on the advise of Katie Winchell, LC, to
gather information for a presentation on "Why Breastfeed?" I'll give
to my Nutrition class in a few weeks(prerequisite for nursing school).
Suffice it to say, I have gotten so much more from lactnet than just
information!  Thanks to all of you who share your thoughts here.  It
can be very lonely working in a "high-risk pregnancy" environment
without the PhD or MD or whatever it takes to express my opinion
and have anyone take me seriously...   Nope, I'm not a MD, but I do
have common sense!!   Okay, off my soapbox now.

So, to reply to Kathy Dettwyler regarding Trisomy 13:  There are
articles in medical journals dating over ten years ago that refer to
"mongols", "mongoloid".  However, to my knowledge, that term is not
used in Western North Carolina.  I know that the Perinatologists
never use that term.  It's sad to think that anyone uses that term
today.

And, to reply to M.G.Brower regarding persistent posterior position:
I had not heard the term or thought process "mechanics" applied to
labor until I read a wonderful book, "Back Labor No More", by Janie
McCoy King.  I'm going to share with you what I've learned about her
book....Oh, by the way, I don't get a penny from them, so the
following results from my enthusiasm about the book and the help it's
been to women...
Janie was a math major at Drake University in Des Moines, IA, and
there "developed a thorough understanding of vectors and their
application to natural occurences.  Little did she guess that
childbirth would lead to her most significant application of
this knowledge...In 1985, faced with her fourth delivery, and
painfully aware that back labor was no minor inconvenience, she
analyzed her three prior birth experiences and began to see vectors
at work in labor and delivery.  When she applied this insight to
her fourth delivery, the results were remarkably effective.  The
pain was abolished, and her son, Thomas, was born within twenty
minutes."
This technique may sound very complicated, but the book is
written in a fun and simple way.  Her audience is the woman
anticipating childbirth, and even possibly DURING childbirth.
In the book she teaches the technique she developed.  This technique
is often helpful for posterior position as well as back labor,
general discomfort during labor, and often speeds labor up
considerably!
Following are a couple of reviews, and how to get the book:
"Mrs. King has written a wonderfully insightful book that deals with
the problems of back labor during the birth process.  It is
the understandable and delightfully readable combination of applied
mathematical theory and common sense that makes this book an
invaluable tool for all professional and lay persons interested in
natural childbirth."  --Rev.Perry A. Adkisson, LMT, CMT
"Presented in both a logical and humorous format, this book is a
practical guide to alleviating the pain of back labor.  A must for
expectant mothers, coaches, and childbirth educators..."
--Dorita Head, ACCE
Order from Plenary Systems, Inc. P.O. Box 181629,Dallas,TX 75218-8629
phone and fax:800-841-1070
$19.95 each, or five for $67.50, S/H/tax included. Priority Mail
Delivery, add $3.00.

Also, NOTE:  to all who ask for individual/personal replies to
questions or requests for information....I would appreciate seeing
those replies, too, as I'm sure others out there would!