Tammy says,

> What can I do? What should I do? Should I cancel and say I let the daily
> grind (4 kids, homeschooling, working full-time, partially disabled husband,
> yada yada yada) "ate my homework"? Or should I take it, do the best I can,
> and try not to cry?
>
>
AKKKKKKKKKKK!  First of all, I'm quite certain that you will ALL do well!
This is BREASTFEEDING we are talking about....something we work with on a
daily basis....something normal, natural, and initiated by 68.4% of all women
in the U.S. (according to our friends at Ross Labs for year 2000).

To all of you, this is Thursday.  Light skimming of materials are permitted
through Saturday.  On Sunday, there is to be NO THOUGHT of breastfeeding!!
You may want to attend your specific house of worship and chat about your
upcoming exam AND your tension AND your fears with the Lord, but otherwise --
keep a low profile.  Take a long, lovely bubble bath.  Go for a walk in the
woods.  Do your fingernails (preferably a BRIGHT red).  Find a rich friend to
take you sailing on Lake Michigan.  Read a trashy novel.  Get a massage.
Ride your bike.  Go swimming.  Ask your dh to take you away from it all,
preferably out to a nice dinner (you'll pay him back when you get your first
check as an IBCLC), and then figure out what the best way is for you to
stimulate your own oxytocin levels (which reduce cortisol, reduce blood
pressure, reduce stress, and make you more accepting of repetitive tasks) --
I'll leave you to figure out what it is that increases oxytocin in
non-lactating women -- Have a good night's sleep and wake up refreshed and
READY for this exam!

Best wishes to all of you, and I promise I'll be praying for you all on
Monday morning.

Warmly,

Jan Barger -- who will join everyone in 2002 and take the exam for the third
time.

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