I am a CLC and find that I have to correct people daily when they call me a "Lactation Consultant"...I am not and I make that distinction (quite frankly it baffles me that people wouldn't make that distinction...its like taking something that isn't yours). When the hospital printed my badge I had to have it re-printed because they put "Lactation Consultant". My badge now clearly states "Lactation Counselor". Possibly that is the issue many times...people are not corrected. Its funny, when people mistakenly call me a Lactation Consultant and I explain the differences many have said "oh...so you are like a midwife and she is like the OB." I guess it is close...I am there for the normal stuff...support, etc. but when things go south or I am unsure, I call in the big guns and she takes it from there. Make no mistake, I have worked very hard in my lactation career/studies and feel that I am skilled in my area as a lactation counselor. I also think that I may have a unique situation...I had been intensively trained and was blessed to shadow an IBCLC for more than a year before taking the CLC class/training and am still under her wing (so thankful!). I am closely supervised and give reports almost daily of the clients that I work with. I am educated and knowledgeable but she is the IBCLC and I am not (YET). I still have a ways to go and much to learn. It makes me wonder what things would be like if every CLC had an IBCLC to shadow and mentor them. I feel so blessed to have such a skilled, dedicated, generous, unselfish person to help me in my journey. Thanks for letting me share. F.R.O.G. Colette Baran, CLC Berkshire Nursing Families Berkshire North WIC ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rose Straeter, IBCLC" <[log in to unmask]> To: <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 11:34 AM Subject: credentials I have been reading the posts about IBCLC credentials. I put a lot of time and effort into getting my IBCLC credentials. Like many of you I am proud of that fact and enjoy what I do. I was first certified in 1994. That was before the CLC was popular. My current observation is that local people see both CLC and IBCLC as the same. CLC's are also locally called Lactation Consultants and there is no distinction. So I pay lots of money to maintain my degree (take CERPS which sometimes aren't offered - some workshops only offer CEUS for CLC) retake the exam every 10 years - and lately I am frustrated and wonder if the new CLC is so poplular that I am obsolete. I don't want to offend any CLC's - that is NOT my intention. I am just frustrated with my credentials and what it means to the general population. I am looking for feedback from others in this profession - both IBCLC and CLC. *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html Mail all commands to [log in to unmask] To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask]) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask]) To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] -- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.5.446 / Virus Database: 268.18.8/718 - Release Date: 3/11/2007 9:27 AM *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html Mail all commands to [log in to unmask] To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask]) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask]) To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]