Dear Lactnet Friends,(& I  feel I have met a lot of friends & colleagues!),
       I was introduced to Lactnet in Nov at a conference in Goshen,NY
(thanks, CWG) & have been very interested reading (when I can find time).  My
name is Ellen Bane Mahony from Orange Co., NY.  I have been fascinated with
the scope of Lactnet, both nationally & internationally, find the volume of
info amazing & overwhelming(have stored volumes to read already on discs,
thanks to my husband Robert, the computer whiz in our house. With his
patience & teaching, I am now spending time online so the family is
complaining in reverse.)  A special thanks to Kathleen Auerbach & Kathleen
Bruce for starting this computer access for bf.  Hope to meet you, Kathleen
A., in Orange Co. in May at our conference!
      I am an IBCLC since 1990, an ACCE since 1981, an RN since 1973, a
obstetric nurse since 1980. I am designated Lactation Coordinator at my
hospital, (less than 1000 births/yr),  we recently built & adopted the 1st
LDRP concept in our area & it's wonderful. I've introduced the Baby Friendly
concept, & although we're a long way from BF designation, I'm trying! It's
hard to change everyone completely but the staff is generally cooperative &
administration has been supportive.
        My interest in lactation actually began with my daughter's birth, she
will be 20 in Feb!  Actually, I  learned about bf when I was 10 & my cousin
bf her children, amazing in 1961! I attended my 1st LLL meeting on a cold
Jan., 1976, being encouraged by my Lamaze teacher.  I was the only attendee
but liked what I heard & the LLLL  reinforced my limited knowledge of bf. The
2nd meeting I attended with my 3 week old baby was full, I was so afraid she
would wake up & I would bf her wrong in front of everyone, she didn't, & I bf
her 3 1/2 yrs., including tandem nursed with the birth of her brother in
1979, don't tell her I told this on the internet!  I tried to become a LLLL
when my daughter was about a year old but was turned down because I had to
return to work, still a little sad about that.My application was reviewed by
the main office in Franklin Park & a founding mother of LLL personally turned
me down.  I am not sure of the policies now. I still supported LLL &
continued as a member & host mother for many yrs., including 8 yrs. later I
had a 3rd child in 1987. So, between my 3 children , the 1st bf 3 1/2 yrs.,
the 2nd, 4-5 yrs, & the baby only 2 1/2 yrs, a great time in my life. So, in
1981, I became an ASPO childbirth educator & received reimbursement for my
knowledge. (I really admire the LLLL who give so generously of their time to
bf, although I originally would have loved to be one, too.) I continue to
refer moms to LLL, as my Lamaze teacher did  & teach & recommend  bf in my
classes. Although most moms to be have decided to bf or the other stuff by
the time I meet them, I have influenced many moms to successfully bf just by
talking about it in classes.
      I have received the unofficial designation of bf person at work over
the yrs, sometimes with conflict, and didn't learn about a specific lactation
consultant role until I was in graduate school in 1990 for a degree in
Parent/Child Nursing. I did an independent course in bf introduced by my
professor who was an IBCLC, thanks Karen, if you're online.  I met 2
wonderful IBCLC people at Beth Israel Lactation Center in NYC, thanks to
them, I was able to learn & become an IBCLC in July, 1990.  NYS then required
each hospital to appoint a Lactation Coordinator, not necessarily certified,
but I was fortunate to be given the role. Although I am, also,  responsible
for a general staff obstetrical nurse role,  I devote as much time to my LC
role as possible, including staff inservice & writing bf policies, &
reinforcing them. We recently added a postpartum bf support class.
      In the past year, I am beginning to see there is such potential in the
role of a LC, & the internet is helpful in expanding this knowledge. I have
been encouraged to expand my LC business privately by many professional
people, including many pediatricians in my area, who refer mothers  to me
with specific bf problems.  If anyone would like to e-mail me privately or on
the internet, how they handle private practice, advertising, reimbursement,
logistics, etc., I would like to hear from you.  Presently, I am also, a
parttime college instructor for nursing & find bf needed updating in the
curriculum. The students are future health people in our community, & some
have their own bf stories & some know very little.
      I am a volunteer member of the Lactation Consorsium of Orange, Ulster,
& Sullivan Cos. in NYS, a state funded group to promote bf. I had the
privilege of being one of several LC's in NYS invited to the 1st NYS Human
Lactation Institute Conference in Oct., 1995 (hello to any attendees), & had
the privilege of meeting Dr. Ruth Lawrence, one of the speakers. It is a
great effort by NYS to improve bf success in the future in our society. (All
the work to correct something that was right in the first place!)  I am still
working on some of the projects, Barbara,(who does a great job coordinating
the Institute work.)
      I know I have been long but found I had a lot to say once I started. I
have been interested in bf a long time, I realize, & hope to continue this
work for a long while.  I have started to share this info with less computer
literate co-workers, they couldn't imagine why we all have so much to say on
the internet on bf.  Imagine, some didn't even know what the internet was!  I
do have one question to ask, suggested by a co-worker, before I sign off now.
     Question: we received a phone call from a mom who wanted to donate milk
to a milk bank in our area. Does anyone know the closest one in Orange
Co.,NY, about 50 miles north of NYC, please e-mail me privately or on the
internet. Also, are milk banks screening for HIV, Hepatis, other communicable
diseases.
Looking forward to communications online, Ellen Mahony, RN,MS, ACCE, IBCLC
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