I want to second Barbara Wilson-Clay's comments. It is OUTRAGEOUS to even
contemplate asking someone to volunteer to edit the refereed journal of our
profession. Can't you just see the smirks from those who don't think we are
a credible profession????? Barbara also makes a good point that many people
think that we should be glad to give our expertise away free.  As someone
who is struggling to establish a paying private practice in an area where
"the (telephone) help has always been free" I am frequently frustrated by
this very attitude. Can I take a risk here and pursue the idea in Barbara's
post that not all moms need an LC. Of course I agree; I am wondering though
where the "cut-off" is for other LCs. In my area, the general belief is that
an LC is for the "train wreck" type of referral, where everything has
already gone wrong--in other words, the LC is the very last resort. I would
like to know how other LCs manage to "share the business" in their
community. I would be interested in hearing (no flames please, I respect you
a lot) from CLEs and CBEs which cases you handle and which ones you refer to
an LC. ILCA has standards of practice for LCs--do other lactation
professionals have a formal standards-of-practice statement, with practice
parameters (what you do and don't handle)? I am not ignoring LLL here in
terms of their tremendous expertise--I am just referring to persons who
charge money for their services. I am not asking for prices on Lactnet. I
just would like to know how we all see our roles in promoting breastfeeding,
helping the mothers and babies in our communities, and establishing
*collaborative*, not *competitive*, roles. Any takers?

Mary Alice Phillips IBCLC
Kansas, USA