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	ask the experts kathleen bruce

Kathleen has been working with breastfeeding mothers since 1988. She has an A.B. in English from Vassar College, and a BSN from Boston University. She is a reserve La Leche League Leader (www.lalecheleague.org), a pediatric registered nurse, and an IBCLC (www.ilca.org) since 1993.

In 1995, Kathleen started Lactnet, together with Kathleen Auerbach, Ph.D, IBCLC, (http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/lactnet.html),. Lactnet is a free listserv list for lactation professionals who wish to communicate, network, and improve their clinical skills. Today, Lactnet has over 3000 subscribers from at least 43 countries, and professionals benefit and share their knowledge with mothers and babies worldwide. Kathleen continues to volunteer her time as list mother of Lactnet, and is thrilled to provide Lactnet to those professionals who do not have the opportunity to find collegial support in their own countries, or communities.

Kathleen is an independent consultant with Medela, Inc. (www.medela.com) as nurse lactation consultant. As Medela’s on-line clinician for many years, she has authored and edited many evidence-based FAQs, and answered thousands of questions from breastfeeding mothers from all corners of the world, providing support, local referrals, and accurate clinical information to breastfeeding mothers in need of assistance. Kathleen has a private practice in Vermont, Lactation Resources of Vermont, Inc.

Kathleen’s favorite work is that of mother to her three daughters, Emily, 20, Martha, 17, and Sally 12. A lover of spinning wool and knitting, and a music lover and parent of three Suzuki music students, she is volunteer board president of her beloved Vermont Suzuki Violins, Inc. VSV is a newly non-profit group in Northern Vermont that is dedicated to bringing classical music to children through violin instruction according to the teachings of Dr. Shinichi Suzuki. Suzuki Association of the Americas. (http://www.suzukiassociation.org/)

As volunteers, Kathleen and her daughters maintain a webpage called The Spinners and Weavers Housecleaning pages, http://homepages.together.net/~kbruce/kbbspin.html, a webpage for spinners and knitters and weavers to buy and sell used spinning wheels, looms, and knitting supplies, as well as fiber and fiber animals. All donations from the Spinners and Weavers Housecleaning pages go to support Vermont Suzuki Violins, whose mission is “Nurturing and Inspiring Young Musicians to Play, Perform and Appreciate Classical Music.” As a breastfeeding advocate whose life work is supporting breastfeeding families, Kathleen believes that peace can be achieved in the world through gentle and devoted attachment parenting, and through beautiful music.

She lives in Northern Vermont with her husband and three daughters, a Quarter Horse named Apollo, a Welsh Corgi named Ollie, and two Siamese cats, Fred and Chrysanthemum.