I'm Speaking at the International Lactation Consultant Association's Annual Meeting Part II

I submitted my proposal to the ILCA in time to speak at the 2012 Conference in Florida! So now it's just a waiting game -- well, at least until November 6th when they will, through email, notify those who have been chosen to speak, present, give a workshop or whatever other entrants have decided to do. I not sure exactly how good my submission was since I put it together at the very last minute, and I had to quickly throw together an outline and do a fast update to my curriculum vitae -- I forgot I even had one, so that's kind of iffy, but I believe my perspective and abstract is what will make me stand out! I have to be honest that part of me is excited about this whole thing, while another part of me is wondering "What in the freaking heck was I thinking?" And yet, there is also that very tiny part that may breathe just a small sigh of relief upon learning I got the cyber boot.

Now, this doesn't mean I don't think I'm qualified to give a presentation and bring a new perspective, but like I said before, it also doesn't mean I'm not somewhat-kinda-sorta-absolutely terrified of being in a room full of IBCLCs, Nurses, Drs, previous and/or current nursers -- and those who have years of information, research, and personal, professional and academic scholarship under their belts, hearing a pitch from a never has-been nor ever will-be nurser. Nope. Just some chick who is pretty new to the theoretical and political aspect of infant feeding, throwing in my two cents on how I think we're screwing up with winning more people over to breastfeeding culture and my simple method to fix it. And I can't back out since I agreed that if chosen, I'll go! OK, I'll be back right after I've done some breathing.

Actually, I've been pretty lucky that I have usually been able to engage my audience with the things I speak on -- even if it is only to roll their eyes at me and the nonsense coming from my mouth. But seriously, I think that  if I am chosen I do have some reservations on the climate and atmosphere, but then again when I do some more thinking about it, encouragement can come in many ways and from many different directions, and maybe this is just the right atmosphere to bring such a perspective.