Lactnetters, Magda Sachs said: >you shared your dilemma with the mother you are supporting {snip} >I hope that the organisation you work for can provide you with some supervision >and support on this one. I just wanted to clarify that although I am a committed member of several pro-breastfeeding organisations, I do not have any official role, nor am I trained as a breastfeeding supporter. When I say "support", I largely mean moral support, the loan of books (plus purchase of difficult-to-obtain American books), telephone numbers of various support organisation, finding an appropiate HCP, print out of research so that they can show their doctors etc. I don't indulge in any of the "hands on" stuff and most of the women that come to me will go to a qualified person, after some encouragement. In this particular case, the mother has become a friend. We got together because I was writing an article about her experience of relactation (I intend to be a writer of healthcare issues). Her brother is a paediatrician, so she is not lacking in medical support and she has a shelf full of breastfeeding books, including a more up to date copy of the BAB than I have! What she lacks is a listening ear, which I can provide, plus someone who is just so nosey and so interfering that they will sit up until 2am, hunting Medline for details on the effects of torticollis on motor development (or whatever). She certainly hasn't the time, the computer or the obsessive personality. I often wonder why people come to me (given that I have a reputation for being a tactless fanatic and always make it crystal clear that I am just helping "as a friend"), but they do and I have a feeling I am picking up those women who would not *dream* of rolling up to a LLL meeting. I sometimes wonder if my bluntness is the attraction - maybe they want someone to look horrified at the suggestion they wean? I frequently get phonecalls or emails from women saying "Talk me out of ____". Having thought long and hard about it, I have concluded that becoming a breastfeeding supporter in any official capacity would prevent me from doing so much of what I do do, in the campaigning role; and it is not what I am good at. I'll stick to my writing, "information brokering" and generally hasseling people who discourage women from breastfeeding; I also collect information for others with a more direct role, who perhaps don't have the time for Lactnet or even own a computer. Thank you for your concern. I do have a lot of people I can turn to, but this is a unique situation - a friend in need and all that. I am happy to fill people in by email if they have any questions. -- Anna H. mailto: [log in to unmask] http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna/ *********************************************** 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