Hi!

I am a Nursing Mothers' Association of Australia Breastfeeding Counsellor,
since 1984 and have just sat the IBCLC exam in July.  I have hubbie Michael
and 3 children, all breastfeed for a cumulative period of 8years, and live
in a country town of 30,000 people, called Bathurst.

I have been enjoying Lactnet since June.   I can't believe it has only been
that long, it seems more like 6 months.  I have learnt a great deal and
really love the caring, accepting atmosphere of the place.  It is great
that there are so many of us out there, with the same aims!   It helps to
be able to vent to someone who understands!

The reason I decided to sit the LC exam was because I got so frustrated
with a mum who I had been helping for 5 months who decided to wean bc she
couldn't increase her supply.  She had attended a centre for mums having
breastfeeding problems and they helped her get her little 8wk old baby into
a routine, and sleeping mostly 12 hrs at night.  So when I suggested she
try more frequent feeds, top ups, comp breast feeds, comfort sucking (I
don't care what you call it!!), and she replied that she would not know
where she was up to with the feeds - I was stumped.  To put it mildly!!  I
gave up. I did continue to contact her, she was seeing a early childhood
nurse and the occasional LC so what more could I do?  So I decided to prove
to the world and my relatives that I was a capable BC and I did know what I
was talking about, hence the exam.
And btw this mother fed till 6months, which was her target, and was only
giving a morning feed at the end and she did not menstruate till after a
few weeks after weaning.  I thought this was quite good but she looked at
that differently too, and said that she shouldn't have continued to give
her baby that last feed as she slept longer and didn't wake till 7am when
she cut it out, and she now knew where she was up to for contraceptives.

Well, there's my first vent,and I'm sure there are some out there who have
seen the same. Like the pregnant professionals who are concerned with
nannies.  These mums want what I call "Clayton's babies", that is the baby
you have when you don't want a baby.  Terrible isn't it:(

Sorry for this long post, happy to be here. Keep up the good work everyone!
Gay Ryan
NMAA  Breastfeeding Counsellor, Tecnical Cert Pathology.