Hi...my thought on this, quickly, comes from reflection on the status of nursing as a profession. I don't know if the comparison is true..however...I do see that having multiple pathways and levels of certification has not helped nursing along...there are the 3 yr nurses, the 2 yr nurses, the 4 yr nurses..the masters level nurses..etc. Professionalism must, in my opinion, have a standard, below which one cannot call oneself that "thing.".... Reminds me of Bill Cosby's routine...Heh you, ..almost-a-doctor....he yells at the guy wheeling the stretcher down the hall! : ) Nurses have a hard path as it is...being recognized and paid as professionals. Here, they are firing nurses left and right as they are too highly paid. Ha. By having multiple levels of lactation professionals..this might undermine things for us , as a profession. Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC co-owner Lactnet,Corgi-L,TLC, Indep. Consultant http://together.net/~kbruce/kbbhome.html LACTNET Archives http://library.ummed.edu/lsv/archives/lactnet.html