When we were doing labeling for our conference mailing recently, my
co-labeler and I were very surprised at an observation we made.  We had
labels for the states of PA, VA, MD, NJ, WV, and NJ from both ILCA and
IBLCE. (Also NY and OH from ILCA)  In order to try and save postage costs,
we tried to eliminate the duplication on the two sets.  There were many
more names on the IBLCE list than on the ILCA list--leading to the
implication that there are more than a couple IBCLC's who have not joined
their professional organization.

While I realize that there are a multitude of reasons that someone may
choose to not join ILCA, I, for one, gain a lot of information from the JHL,
even the Globe, and of course the mailing lists that my name gets on by
virtue of my membership!  I am resitting boards this summer under the
research pathway-- in order to qualify for that pathway, I had to document
my number of clinical mother/baby contact hours, as well as cont. ed hours.
What there was no question for was the number of hours I have spent
attending coalition meetings or what professional organizations do I belong
to or how many hours spent reading lactnet!!! I wonder if there should be
some sort of component of documenting lc/lc contact hours included on the
recertification and even the beginning to become an LC process (mentoring in
that case.)  My contacts with my colleagues in my coalition has been worth a
lot more than some conference sessions I have attended, and this forum of
dialogue worth more than its weight in gold.  If an LC doesn't keep current,
and to me the easiest way to do that is by information sharing and
information coming to the door, how can s/he maintain a level of
professionalism/competency?

We can have all the credentials in the world and still be worthless if we
don't keep ourselves mentally stimulated, by being interested in new
findings and observations, and by not being  afraid to admit we don't know.
This LACTNET group by far has the best opportunities to prevent ourselves
from going stale; it's is a great way of  being challenged by all the
wonderful sharing that flows so readily between one another.  The LC who is
in her/his own space, with no influx of information and no collegial sharing
is, in my opinion, not going to be offering the best LC services to her/his
clients.

Karen's Fun Lactation Stuff:
http://www.geocities.com/HotSprings/Spa/2621