Hello everyone! I'm new to Lactnet and have had such fun keeping up with the
digests that I haven't had time to introduce myself, or perhaps I was
slightly intimidated.
My name is Nina Lanphear and I am a Lactation Educator in the
Seattle area. I took my training with the incredible women at Evergreen
Hospital in Kirkland WA and have since been so motivated and empowered that
no one can stop me now. I am a mother of three and nursed them all well into
their second year, I am presently nursing my 14 mos old.
I am a board member of The Seattle/King County Breastfeeding Coalition. My
passion is getting the word out! Our coalition has just produced a PSA to be
aired the week preceding WBW. We are very excited and grateful to all the
good people that pitched in and made it happen. I believe the PSA will be
available to other coaltions if interested but there will probably some fee
involved. I don't know yet (hope I didn't break any Lactnet rules there?).
I've been thrilled to read all the different perspectives and "tricks of the
trade" on Lactnet. I see that there is some controversy around speaking our
minds and stiring the soup a bit. I believe that it is critical that we have
the abilty to dialogue, hash out, critique, and express our frustrations and
concerns, particularly around the ABM companies. We must remember the power
they have, and that among us we have a vast amount of wisdom that pooled
together can be far more persuasive and powerful than any artificial
anything. To silence any good persons concerns around these issues is to only
lend more power to the ABM companies and those who profit from it. All of our
jobs would be made easier if we didn't have to spend 85% of the time battling
the "myths" around breastfeeding and discrediting something so inferior as
ABM. I don't mean to appear self-righteous, I only want to point out that we
are here for each other, we enjoy our work and it empowers us!  We don't work
for the ABM companies, we work for all the women who want to breastfeed and
all the babies who would prefer it over that other stuff!
So anyway I just wanted to say thankyou for all of your collective wisdom and
I will continue to listen and learn and try not to offer that which would
only lend to "feeding the monster", but offer that which will contribute to
the ever growing consciousness here and out there in "the real world".
LACTNET IS A GREAT FORUM FOR EXPRESSION AND EDUCATION!

Blessings to all!
Nina J. Lanphear
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