.<<  I believe there are RN/IBCLC's who practice less effectively than an 
experienced volunteer or non-RN/IBCLC. <<

That's all well and good, Carol.  But the above sentence appears to me to  
indicate that you still feel there is a distinct difference between IBCLCs 
who happen to also be RNs and those who do not have an RN (but who have 
otherwise met the strict criteria to become IBCLCs).  Are non-RNs are "not 
quite" the professional IBCLCs that RNs are?  I cannot find the proper words 
to express how much I disagree with this statement.

I have never understood why valuable medical professionals such as physical 
therapists, nutritionists, speech therapists, etc. do not "need" an RN tacked 
after their initials to be respected valuable members of the medical team, 
but some  people out there are striving to have IBCLC as part of the nursing 
profession.

Along with the fact that IBCLC should be (and IS) a respected profession on 
its own, I feel stressing RN initials along with IBCLC further medicalizes 
breastfeeding.

Nancy

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