I have been lurking for quite a while now, with a brief break when our
first(brand new) computer was stolen.  Now we are up and on-line again, and I
am at least computer literate enough to type out a message.
     My name is Ellen Kadden and I have a small private practice and large
rental depot in Fairfield CT.. I have just begun working with Medela in a
corporate setting, also, a job that I share with another LC.  I have been a
LLL leader for 12 years, a rental depot for almost 10 years, and IBCLC for 6.
 My major claim to fame is that my now 10-year-old Peter was  a 720-gram
premie, totally breastfed and wonderfully healthy and bright.  You can see
his pix on the front cover of Marsha Walkers' pamphlet and the LC series on
premies.
     A few comments I must make:
     1. My 16-year-old daughter wants to sign up for COLIC and specialize in
answering machine messages-both recording and explaining to ones' friends.
     2. I have a masters degree in special education and 8 years of
experience in that field.  I have taught kids with Down Syndrome to read.  I
certainly can teach mothers to breastfeed.  In this part of the country I am
not deemed qualified to work in a hospital or doctor's office without the RN.
 BUT I DON'T WANT TO BE A NURSE! (yes, I am shouting-sorry) Today I heard
about a local doctor's office that is sending an LPN to a 40-hour course so
she can beome their LC. (yes-they know me)
Change does not happen quickly in New England, and I'm having to keep my
options open as far as going back to the classroom when my kids get older.
     O-my kids-Sarah is 16, a junior in high school, wants to be a physical
therapist, loves figure skating (watching) and is lucky enough to have a mom
who also enjoys it so she gets to go to all kinds of neat places like
Edmonton last month to see the World Figure Skating Championships (it is very
cold there. but very friendly)  My idea of a really great time would be if I
got to go to a skating competition and then a Breastfeeding conference!
     You've heard about Peter who is now in the fourth grade and plays violin
and piano and loves classical music.  In between is David who is 13, plays
oboe and getting more and more involved in karate.  He is very shy, loves to
sail and swim, and wants to be a writer, I think.
     My husband Jack commutes to NYC and works as a Metro Editor for the New
York Times.  Whenever you hear about something weird happening in Long
Island, he is responsible for the coverage, and doesn't get home until really
late.  He has helped me breastfeed all three of the children for extended
periods by trusting my parenting instincts-not always the easiest thing to
do, especially in this culture.
     I am all caught up on Lactnet, and do enjoy the discussions and use many
of them as references in my work.  I especially enjoy the politics (the
discussions, not the reality) and the cultural/anthropological stuff.
     Also just returned from a day at Baystate listening to Alan Lucas and
Paula Meier speak on premies.  It"s too late to get into that now
     Thanks for the great late-night reading
     Ellen in CT where we might be finished with snow-maybe