Nikki wrote I heard from a woman on a task force in the state where our Sec'y of HHS comes from. Mr. Thompson and his cronies rejected 18 different attempts to include breastfeeding as a protective measure against diabetes. Prevention of Diabetes through breastfeeding is a major focus and suggested objective in the Federal monies currently given to Native Sovereign Nations (Indian tribes) in the United States. At least in our area most of the tribes have someone who is being trained to support breastfeeding, whether they are starting with a nurse or with a C.N.A. that they are training. We are in year 4 of a six year (at present) funding to prevent diabetes and prevent complications for those who already have diabetes. During Diabetes month (November) our PSAs will include one for gestational diabetes and one for breastfeeding (I'm writing those today). Perhaps since this funding is controlled by IHS rather than HHS, philosophies are different. Because many tribes are rural, like ours, they are not generally starting with IBCLC's because they aren't available, but are working toward training people to support breastfeeding. My personal background, besides 30 years of OB nursing, is lots of years of LLL membership and nursing one to 4 1/2 years (at which time we had an I'm a big girl now party where she helped bake the cake),and tandem nursing for 1 1/4 of those years, after which I decided I wanted some time alone with my younger nursling, who continued on alone for another 1 1/4 years. I considered taking a lactation consultant course in the mid 80s while in the San Fernando Valley in California, but did not do so until last year, when the tribe paid for it. Now I am busy trying to accrue hours and possibly will have enough to test in 2002 but more likely 2003. We are encouraging 6 months of exclusive nursing and at least six additional months of nursing after solids are started. We are also encouraging increased physical activity, decreased sugar, and decreased fat for the whole family as additional means of preventing diabetes. Sharon Jimenez MS, RN Nurse Educator/Breastfeeding Specialist Apache Diabetes Wellness Center White Mountain Apache Tribe Whiteriver , AZ (a mile high in a pine forest that goes up to 11,700 feet) *********************************************** The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html