In a message dated 99-11-21 10:50:35 EST, you write:

<< By the way, the Wisconsin Association of Lactation Consultants, after much
 haggling a few years ago, adopted a "no-infant" policy at our conferences.
 It came up again last week at our bi-monthly meeting, and the same camps
 were arguing again.  A "professional organization" vs. breastfeeding
 mothers'(who may also be "professional") attending with their infants. >>

My mind is boggled and I am appalled that an association that must profess to
promoting breastfeeding and lactation, apparently only promotes lactation.
Professional women get pregnant and give birth. When we refuse to allow their
infants to accompany them to professional meetings, we are forcing
mother-health professionals to choose between their babies and gaining
education that will help them provide better care to clients (who ironically
are women breastfeeding infants). We are forcing mother-baby separation if
they attend--a practice we know is associated with negative effects and
decreased breastfeeding. While it seems reasonable to ask mature adult women
to take noisy babies out of a presentation, we treat these mature adult women
like children when we remove their right to choose their baby AND continuing
education.

ILCA has no such "no baby" policy. AWHONN voted several years ago in favor of
attendance by participants with "babes in arms." Apparently, larger
associations believe mature childbearing professionals have a right to both.

Karen Kerkhoff Gromada, MSN, RN, IBCLC

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