Barbara Wilson-Clay wrote:

>Along these lines, I was disturbed by the posts from aspiring LCs who
>are
>concerned that the standards for qualifying for the exam are too strict,
>or
>that anyone should be able to use the letters LC.  I feel for you about
>the
>cost and lack of mentors, etc.  We are not in a profession which
>promises
>you big bucks even if you get your IBCLC.  I hope that changes some day.
>I
>make no apologies about desiring to make a good living doing this work.
>Other specialties are certainly not apologizing about getting paid for
>their
>expertise. Lowering standards is not going to help establish our
>profession
>or raise our potential for earning a living.  Nor is adopting an
>attitude
>that anyone can be an LC just because they want to call themselves one.
>This
>confuses the general public.  I run into people who call themselves LCs
>who
>often give very poor advice to women who have trusted them.  In my mind
>this
>is akin to calling yourselves a midwife and assuming this makes you
>qualified to do home births.

Well I am one of those aspiring LCs who believes that the requirements to
sit for the IBLCE exam should be re-evaluated. According to a letter I
received from the IBLCE, they conducted their research and formulated the
qualifications back in 1987. This means their research data is almost 10
years old and in my opinion, doesn't adequately reflect the current
candidate population.

We have so much more information available today about breastfeeding than
in 1987. We also have many more resources. I believe (and have written to
the IBLCE about this) that they should conduct more current research to
see if their original findings still hold true. If they do, fine, I can
accept that although I will never be convinced that a degree in something
unrelated to human lactation should reduce the number of practice hours.

I have noticed recently that several people have posted that they decided
to sit for the exam and did a minimum of study. They read the LC series,
some of the current BF reference books, JHL, etc. and then passed. What
does this say about this exam? It does seem to prove that it is really
just an entry level exam.

I would like to be able to sit for the IBLCE exam when I graduate from
the BSC LC course but won't be able to. I will have a good knowledge base
but still not the "gazillion" BC hours that I need as a non-college
graduate. Am I really supposed to wait another 12 years (the amount of
time it will take me to get the required 8000 hours if I get credit for
500 hours per year as an LLL Leader) before I can put into practice what
I know? The only way I will be able to get those practice hours is to
practice! What about OB RNs who claim practice hours towards the exam
from before they had any training in breastfeeding? Isn't this worse than
practicing when I do have good information?

I feel very strongly about this and am apologizing in advance if I've
offended anyone, however this is my opinion.

Kim
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Kim Balzer, La Leche League Leader, Student Lactation Consultant
Sebastopol, CA

"The test of the morality of a society is what it does for its children."
                                        -Dietrich Bonhoeffer
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