Elizabeth writes:

I  suppose I need to remember that what's posted here isn't necessarily 
what a  client hears. 
~~~ Hello Wise and Compassionate ones.
I think Elizabeth makes an excellent point. LN has been for me, not just a  
place to listen and learn, but a place to lament, to vent, and to ask the 
hard  questions and share emotionally challenging responses. I would venture 
to  speculate that even if a poster is expressing something that seems like 
a  judgment, it is because this has been considered a safe place, and for 
some one  of the only places, to share the feelings around that 
statement/judgment. It is  not something that would be said to a mother who just wants an 
answer to her  question. We know that the counseling part of this work is  
key, meeting a  mother where she is, asking questions and being willing to 
hear her answers, and  the questions and answers beneath them, assisting her 
with information about  factors she may not have known or considered 
regarding her choices. Most of us  have worked with, counseled, moms who will at 
some points do something radically  different than we did as mothers, or even 
something that might have severe,  irreversible or unintended consequences. 
We have all walked that line,  needing to give the best information we can, 
while supporting a mother in her  goals,  in the choices she is making, 
whether we would make them, or  whether we even see them as being feasible( mom 
wants to build her supply toward  normal but doesn't want to pump at all, or 
to put baby to breast, but will drink  galactogogic tea ...). We will 
support and work with whatever effort a mom  can make at the time.  Sometimes that 
is exceptionally difficult. I think  that's why we see so much passion on 
LN, because this is one place we can show  it. This is one reason I think we 
are asked never to forward a post without the  permission of the poster. 
Even if we would give the exact same information, we  would probably give it 
much differently, in tone, in form, in breadth, in depth,  and totally 
individualized as we can make it.Lactnet is one place we can be  honest, we can 
support and challenge each other respectfully,  and we  can be as passionate as 
we are, because so much of our work requires a deep  level of moderation to 
remain as calm, compassionate and as capable of helping  mothers, as this 
work demands. And we are not, despite the shared commitment to  this work, 
monolithic in our approach and values and beliefs, about infant  
feeding/nurturing, or any other aspect of life that comes into contact with that  work. 
We have different backgrounds, styles of communication, boundaries, and  
triggers. I think that has always been one of the beauties of this  "place."  
The safety of the shared parts makes possible the challenge of  the 
differences. It's kind of amazing, actually.
 
Peace,
Judy  

Judy LeVan  Fram, PT, IBCLC, LLLL
Brooklyn, NY,  USA
[log in to unmask]

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]
Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask]
COMMANDS:
1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail
2. To start it again: set lactnet mail
3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome