Please do a search through the archives for previous discussions on the 
title of certified BF counselor. These titles are not the same as IBCLC and 
it demeans our profession for "certified BF educators" or "counselors" to be 
doing the same work as IBCLCs. There is good information on the IBLCE web 
site about alternative certifications and why they are not the same as 
IBCLC.

The other reason I do not recommend getting lesser certification and then 
using this title to do paid lactation consultations or being used by the 
hospital to attract mothers to deliver there is I get calls from many women 
who say the "lactation consultant" at the hospital or who sold her a pump 
tried but couldn't help her so she really questions the knowledge and skills 
that the IBCLC would use. The hospital person or pump dealer is not IBCLC, 
and appears to have very low skills from what is reported to me. The mom has 
no clue as to what any of these titles mean.

Yet, even though this person is not IBCLC, she is promoted as being "so 
helpful to BF mothers" (and perhaps in some situations she is). But the 
truth is she doesn't have the skills to do the job. This is one reason why I 
stopped doing PPLC work -- so I apologize if I sound a bit mean. Around 
here, this has caused moms to devalue IBCLCs and refuse to pay for quality 
help after getting poor help somewhere else.

My advice is tell your boss to support you in becoming an IBCLC first and 
foremost.

Kathy Eng, BSW, IBCLC 

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