Greetings from Zimbabwe. My name is Pamela Morrison and, having certified as the first LC in the country in l99O ("What's a Lactation Consultant"?) I have worked in private practice in Harare since l99l, clients have numbered about 14OO from all racial groups, but mostly (comparatively) higher socio-economic status who might culturally be expected to to breastfeed with uncertainty. Recently re-certified by exam. I work from home, make hospital and home visits on request, with referrals from doctors, gynaecologists, paediatricians, ante-natal teachers and former clients. I have facilitated at 17 Baby Friendly Hospital Initiative l8-hour courses for Ministry of Health and Harare City Health personnel and am a BFHI National Assessor. We now have 24 "baby-friendly" hospitals in the country, with 3 more awaiting the Task Force blessing. I also serve on the multi-sectoral breastfeeding committee convened (from time to time!) by the Min of Health. I have been following the Lactnet for about a week, thanks to my husband's assistance, and am enthralled by all you have to say out there! We are now two LCs here and we are - frankly - very short on contact with OTHER LCs so LACTNET seems like the answer to a prayer! In Zimbabwe we are very fortunate to have a "breastfeeding culture", with almost lOO% initiation of breastfeeding, 94% still breastfeeding at 6 - 9 months and weaning commonly at 15 - 18 months. However, there is still a lot to do as "exclusive breastfeeding" 4 - 6 months is only ll% and recent relaxation of foreign exchange constraints has caused an alarming influx of imported formulas, weaning foods, bottles, teats, dummies (pacifiers) and other gadgets. My clients seem to include the mothers whose "cultural norm" has heretofore been bottle-feeding, and I work very hard to make breastfeeding possible, comfortable, enjoyable and "normal". There are many advantages to working here, it is a very brave mother who advises hospital staff that she does not want to breastfeed and I have seen babies leave the hospital at 2 - 3 days having eaten NOTHING, very worrying! The paediatricians I have contact with EXPECT that mothers will at least initiate breastfeeding, that babies will lose 5 - 10% of birthweight and not regain it until lO - 14 days and seem to be very laid-back about bilirubin levels, and prefer to monitor them daily for 2 - 3 days before diving in to photo-therapy and supplements, NEVER recommend glucose water etc. Unfortunately some of the G.P.s are not quite so enlightened and less up-to-date nursing staff can also cause a few problems. On the technological side, cup-feeding prem babies is universal in Government hospitals, as is manual expression of breastmilk. I have never SEEN an electric breastpump (the videos look wonderful!), nor an orthodontic syringe (where can I get them?) nor a "finger-cot". It's been nice to meet you, it has been immensely reassuring to hear that we face many similar difficulties and seem to work in the same ways to help more mothers breastfeed. I look forward to learning from you and sharing what has worked for me.