Greetings.  My name is Martha Pitzer.  I had a nice preview of Lactnet in
June and then went off on vacation.  My  husband "turned off" Lactnet but
to my surprise (and his) I had over 900 messages awaiting me on his e-mail
account when we returned.  My husband ENCOURAGED me to reactivate my own account.
I'm Adjunct faculty at Ohio State so that wasn't too difficult.  Until a few years ago I taught nursing full time...I still teach
occasionally - guest lectures and precepting student nurses who are
interested in lactation.  I am ASPO certified and teach breastfeeding with
an independent group of CB educators.  The past two years I became
engrossed in lactation while working at university hospital.  At that time
my office-mate was an LC and of course I kept answering her phone calls from distraught
nursing mothers.  I discovered that lactation is the perfect synthesis of peds, ob,
family relations & human development [my bias] as these are all areas dear to my heart.

All those LACTNET messages made me feel that I know many of you already.
Listening on the NET was a great source of learning and entertainment
for me as I reviewed for the IBCLC exam.  I treated myself by reading a few
each night and I made a few contacts by regular e-mail.  Now with the IBCLE
exam behing me I gave myself a reward --- rejoining and getting some
"current" lactnet mail.

Are there any other post-exam survivors out there trying to "get back to your
regular lives?  That's what Kathy A. tells attendees at her seminars they
should do.  Right?  Easier said than done.

Roberta have you returned from all your travels?  I enjoyed meeting
you in person and your lovely daughter, at breakfast on Sunday.

Tina Smillie are you there?  I wish I had met and talked with you at the
LACTNET meeting at ILCA.  Best wishes with your private practice combining
pediatrics and lactation.  How I wish you were in Columbus!

The end of this month we go to England & then Europe where my husband will
be visiting universities.  He has a 9 month sabbatical. I HOPE to make
numerous health care contacts in each country.  My dream is to become
more involved in research related to breastfeeding.  This coming year will
be devoted to gathering cross-cultural information.  LACTNET will be a rich
resource.  I'm eagerly awaiting arrival of Kathy Dettwyler and Patricia
Stuart-Macadam's book on "Breastfeeding Biocultural Perspectives."

Ann Kaeser in Kaufering, Germany, hello.  Are you there, Ann?.  I will
write to you personally by e-mail.  We will be in Stuttgart (October).  I
believe that is not too far from Kaufering.

Thanks for listening.  I look forward to hearing from you.

Martha Pitzer, RN, PhD, CLE