I don't see myself as a breastfeeding advocate. I am a helper, a
consultant, an educator, even a specialist.

I *am* the advocate for my own babies. I wouldn't want anyone advocating
for my baby or even for my baby's right to breastfeed. I wouldn't want
anyone advocating for another baby's right to breastfeed if the mother
didn't want to.

I am not a nutritionist or a dietician, although I've taken lots of
nutrition courses. I couldn't claim to have the qualifications of a
nutritionist or a nurse. I don't think lactation consultants need to
appropriate other people's qualifications. For me, that would be
undermining everyone's expertise, especially our own. We should keep our
titles meaningful and consistent with the particular guidelines and
codes of ethics of the organizations that accredit us. The one
exception, to me, is to use a fairly vague term for the work I do as a
mother and a volunteer: a community worker. Yes, I was flattered when my
son said his mother had always been an activist because of the work I've
done in the community. But he didn't say breastfeeding activist, because
he knows my work is not limited to one area. I would be even more
uncomfortable with being considered a militant or even an advocate for
the arts, second language education or the other political and religious
groups to which I contribute volunteer energy, when I am outside of
those groups. Do I feel strongly about the value of what I do? Ask my
friends and colleagues how passionate I am in each area, but don't ask
me to discuss my opinions on lactnet...

I am also very much aware of the fact that lobbying can really mess up
one's charitable status... and for good reason, as far as I'm concerned.
Charitable organizations can make a distinction between lobbying and
advocacy, but the distinction has to be clear to everybody. In some
examples I can think of, the distinction has not been made clear.

Jo-Anne Elder-Gomes, community worker

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