Greetings to All...
I have been logging on to Lactnet for a little over a
year now, and I continue to be impressed by the
amazing network of support and knowledge, and the
willingness to share it, that is so evident here.  To
be honest, though, I have a concern that I want to
share with the group.

Now for the second time since I have been involved in
Lactnet, I have witnessed a debate over the issue of
credentialing/experience/requirements for the IBCLC
exam, etc.  On both occasions, the debate seemed to
arise early in the calendar year, as many of us start
thinking about preparing and sitting for the exam,
either as first-timers, or for re-certification. Not a
surprising topic of discussion, as the exam looms
large.  My concern is the way in which this debate has
been expressed; in whatever way it seems to begin, it
always seems to lead to misunderstandings, anger, and
hurt feelings.  Someone logging on to Lactnet for the
first time during such a debate might be inclined to
withdraw from the group, leaving with the impression
that all we do here is squabble.

I recognize fully that training and credentialing are
essential as so many of us struggle to establish the
field of Lactation as a credible, respected
sub-specialty (encompassing so many other fields my
brain gets tired even thinking about listing them!).
However, perhaps debating the merits of which training
method or credentials are "best" is a topic that
should be taken off-list; or perhaps a separate
discussion group would be of interest to some of the
list members.

Respectfully,
Carole Jernigan
(who will refrain from listing credentials with this post!)

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