Hi, I'm Andrea Careless (yes, that is my real name!), in Victoria,
British Columbia. I guess it's about time I came out of the cyberspace
darkness and introduced myself. I've been hanging around for a month or so,
trying to decide if I fit into Lactnet (i.e. am I "worthy" and do I have
enough time to read the extremely interesting messages?). I'm a very strong
advocate of breastfeeding, and I've also become totally addicted to Lactnet,
which are two good qualifications!
Other than that, I'm a writer/editor, with a passionate interest in
health (especially pregnancy, l&d and lactation) and environmental issues. I
worked for several years as a radio and print journalist/editor, and also as
the communications person for an international relief organization. Now
I'm a writer/editor/policy analyst for the B.C. Ministry of Environment. I
enjoy my work and have very supportive managers (all men, by the way) who
have bent over backwards to let me work part-time, on a very flexible basis.
However, I miss journalism, so I plan to start freelancing in a
couple of years--when my children are older and I can handle the deadlines. I
hope to focus on my key interests, but in the meantime I'm trying to learn a
lot!
Last, but definitely not least, I have three children--11, 8 and almost
2. I breastfed all three for a long time (my mother kept asking when I was
going to wean the baby--the usual uninformed response--AARGH!). I'm still
happily nursing my third, with no end in sight!
By the way, re. mastitis and lumpectomies: I've had several bouts of
mastitis with all three babes, and also had two breast lumps (benign)
surgically removed. I don't know if there's a connection -- I didn't have any
problem with milk supply. Also, another anecdote: my middle child had tongue
tie. My family doc. wanted to snip it shortly after birth, but I preferred to
wait and see if it would stretch out (on the pediatrician's advice). It did,
with no nursing or speech problems.
Anyway, I think Lactnet is wonderful, if addictive! -- Andrea
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