To Sandy Arnold--(didn't have your e-mail address)--In 1989, the 1st IBCLC in
Buffalo sent a call to all designated LCs in hospitals & PH to meet as a
support group.. From that meeting, we decided that BF in WNY wasn't going
anywhere because everyone was giving conflicting info.  We set about learning
from each other, going to & giving conferences and meeting regularily to
review case studies.  We also became good friends.  We were all teaching BF
classes in our respective institutions, also, and we all developed the same
lesson plan, as it were, so that a prenatal could go to any class & hear the
same thing.  We also standardized the info being given in the hospitals by
the LCs so that the mom in trouble could call her LC, WIC etc and get the
same answer.  It has made a difference in the docs too because they are
hearing consistant info.  We then developed a network to combine WIC & the
hospitals--every prenatal is given the name of the IBCLC at her delivering
institution and is told to contact her prior to discharge.  The LC then
stresses to the mom that she connect back with the WIC BF program for
follow-up.  In a high risk situation, I may call the LC before delivery to
alert her to the patient, and vice-verse.  The Network also screens &
discusses printed material before distributing, altho this just happened,
wasn't planned.  This networking serves many useful purposes--the
patient/client has somewhere to go when she has problems, none of us have the
time to invent new things so we develop materials, etc. for all to use and
save ourselves tons of time, we can call around when we aren't sure of an
answer, BEFORE we give it to the mom, thus keeping us from *batting in the
wind*, preserving our integrity and often times reassuring us that we do
indeed know something!  There is always more power in ##, and we have seen
some changes.  In regards to WICs involvement, we are at present the only
resource available for follow-up.  Our hospital IBCLC are overworked and in
many cases unable to provide followup.  Knowing that they can refer back to
WIC, and that the info will be competent, has made it easier on all of us.
 We are beginning our "Rounds" this week in 3 of 4 major birthing hospitals.
 Our purpose will be to connect the pp mom with a Peer Counselor, assess her
latch, etc prior to discharge and act as a followup source when she goes
home.  We will also be there to help her with WIC recertification and make
sure she knows how to proceed & what she's entitled to.  The important part
of this phase is the face to face contact--seeing someone from the BF Program
makes it real.  We will also, hopefully, ease the burdens of our LC friends
and allow them to spend the time they need with the HR moms on their floors.
 I have to add that we have i local hosp who did not join the network and
that is the hospital with the lowest sustained rates of BF.  We feel it is
because everyone on the floor was giving advice, but once the mom went home,
no one was available to help, and because they were not networking with us,
patients were not given a place to call.  This will be our most exciting
hospital because they asked us to come in and have asked for our help.  Hope
this helped.   Sue