My name is Alicia Dermer.  I am a family physician on the faculty of a
residency program in Central New Jersey, USA.  During medical school at
University of Toronto, Canada, (1974-77), I became interested in
breastfeeding because of a lecture on the benefits (yes, they actually had
one lecture!).  On moving to New Jersey with my 2-week-old daughter due to
my dh's new job, I found myself rather isolated and started attending a
LLL meeting (my ostensible purpose:  "as a physician, I ought to know what
this LLL is all about so I'll know whether or not to refer my patients"),
where I met an extremely supportive, non-judgmental leader (who has since
then been a good friend and colleague, and was the person who suggested
that I get my IBCLC). Although I was using a pacifier (to the vocal
disapproval of someone in the group, who said "I'd never put plastic in
*my* baby's mouth) and planning a return to work while the focus of the
group was attachment parenting and nursing *way beyond* the 6 months I had
anticipated, my eyes were opened.

In my practice, I found it hard to understand why so few women responded
positively to my enthusiastic recommendations to breastfeed.  But the
experience of being harrassed by my co-workers for trying to nurse my
second child and pump in the office, turned me into a flaming radical.  I
determined to educate myself and then work to educate my colleagues.  That
was about 6 years ago, and my role in breastfeeding promotion, education
and, most recently, research, has snowballed.  I joined Lactnet when it
was only a couple of months old, and I have found it a superb resource and
source of support.  I alternatively contribute and lurk depending on how
inundated I become.

Alicia Dermer, MD, IBCLC,
Clinical Associate Professor,
Department of Family Medicine,
University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey -
  Robert Wood Johnson Medical School,
New Brunswick, NJ.

Wife to Alex (whose role in getting me computer literate has in large part
contributed to his now having to put up with my late nights on Lactnet),
mother of Michelle (17 years old - who weaned herself at 17 months to my
dismay - but just got accepted to Rutgers University!) and Anna (8 years
old - nursed till past her 3rd birthday - loves to stand by the computer
and ask me to get off, so I've got to log off so she can get on the
Pokemon Website ;)