To all -
And thank you, Judy, for your thoughts about LCs not having experienced
or having experienced bf problems. Problems just pop up, and lots of my
time is spent putting out *fires*/bf problems (the same ones and many
times, easily averted ones at that) as a working LC. The comment is only
in reference to those of us in the LC field. Not an attitude related to
mothers we serve.

Even when LCs have babies we can feel overwhelmed. And even though
(since was bfing and/or pregnant for 16 years straight) and had numerous
plugged ducts, breast infections and a bout with cancer and there must
have been other things that I don't recall...I just don't feel I had
problems. Even without those things I (or most people I think) would
have empathy for (especially) unavoidable problems.

It is also a matter of awareness. As more women breastfeed, I can only
hope that (as an example) an obvious bad latch won't go unnoticed by
medical staff and other needless Problems.

Still there is a danger of building networks based on bf problems (what
does that emphasize) instead of networks based on normal infant feeding.

Paula Bermingham, IBCLC
CEMR-WIC