I attended my first ILCA conference, and I must say that being surrounded by
others who had the same goal in mind, being able to trade stories and laugh
about things only another LC would understand, and have my mind stimulated by
a wealth of wonderful information made it one of the highlights of my career!
 I can understand why some people would be concerned about Playtex and Avent.
 I was especially surprised by Playtex.  I never thought of them being
concerned about breastfeeding and didn't see anything at the conference that
made me think they were.  I am grateful though to be able to see and touch
products that I would have otherwise not had access to.  The sad reality is
that most of the mothers I come in contact with are returning to work within
the first 3 months and will be giving a bottle, so I need to know about what
they have available to them.
  I had a choice at ILCA... I did not have to visit these booths, I could
have walked right past.  I would rather get the information on their products
at a professional venue such as ILCA than to not know about the products when
the parents ask.  What I was offended by was the Avent speaker during lunch.
I felt that I did not have a choice in that and felt like I was having a
commercial forced upon me.  I like the Avent pump, my mother's like the Avent
bottle.  I do not like that they call their nipple shield a "nipple
protector", but there were many other products at ILCA that I also would not
recommend to my moms.  I admit, I visited the booths, I took the freebies
they gave me.  Now I can sort through the pile of stuff I have and decide
whether they would be something I could recommend.  I am glad that I was seen
as someone professional enough to be able to do this.  I applaud those who
were offended by the vendors AND refused to take their freebies if they felt
strongly.  I am glad we all had a choice.  Claudia Globerger RN/IBCLC  Lake
Forest, IL

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