I said:


> The mother thinks that she has a lactation
> > consultant, and actually it's someone who has gone thru a
> > "one-day-wonder-course" and has been deemed "certified" by the
> instructor.
> > Great marketing ploy on the instructor's part, very confusing for the
> > public,
> > and does not indicate any level of competency on the part of the
> > certificant.
>

And Jessica replied:

> With all due respect (and I do highly respect Jan Barger), I don't think
> these are fair comments.  Frankly, I feel insulted.
>
>

While I'm glad you respect me, Jessica, you took my comments out of the
context of the entire post which was that if all of US are confused, imagine
how the public feels.  The above comment was NOT directed at individuals, but
at the use of the term "certified" which is not to say people aren't
absolutely excellent who have a CLE, CLC, CLS, or are considered Certified
Boob Fairies.  But if you can get (and I'll pick on CLE right now) a "CLE"
from CAPPA with one set of criteria, and a "CLE" from UCLA with another set
of criteria, and a "CLE" from a one-day course with no criteria, and a CLE
from a 3 day course in which you take a 25 question exam at the end of it,
then where is the consistency?  (By the way, this is the first I've ever
heard of CAPPA -- I'm glad to know about it)

> > When a person earns the IBCLC designation,
> > regardless of where they took their initial education, we know what they
> > had
> > to do to get to that level.
> >
>
> <<Really?  Do you honestly think the general public has ANY idea what an
> IBCLC
> lactation consultant has to do to receive her particular certification?>>


The "We" referred to US -- as in "those of us that are (a) on Lactnet and (b)
those of us discussing this issue and (c) those that are IBCLCs."  Not the
general public.  BUT -- if an IBCLC is committing malpractice, or not
following the standards of practice for lactation consultants (see ILCA) or
the standards of ethics (see IBLCE), then there is a recourse -- we can
report her to IBLCE, and disciplinary action can be taken.  If a CLC, CLE,
CLS, CBF does any of the above, there is no recourse.  And the public has no
recourse.

Please do NOT construe this thread as a who is better than whom -- it is a
discussion about the initials and what they mean and what the requirements
are for obtaining those initials.  It is not a slam on anything anyone has
done in their education course, or on what anyone knows.  The point is, any
course instructor can say anyone is certifed -- and all it means is that the
person went to a program that lasted anywhere from 1 day to 1 year.  Her/his
peers have no clue as to what that person had to do, if anything beyond show
up, to get that certification.

My point was, and yes, there is one in here somewhere, that the IBCLC
certifications, with all it's faults and weaknesses, is consistent.  We know
that the successful IBCLC had to have at least 30 hours of lactation
education, 900-6000 breastfeeding consultancy hours (depending on level of
education), and passed a rigorous exam which is developed by a committee that
is composed of experts from all over the world, follows a specific blueprint,
and is monitored by a psychometrician to make sure the questions are fair,
accurate, and the grading is done according to the appropriate technique.
Futhermore, it is translated into a number of languages and given
simultaneously around the world.

And as of next year, the successful IBCLC candidate will have 45 clock hours
of lactation education and a background in a number of other courses --
sociology/psychology/counseling, A&P, growth & development, nutrition, and
medical terminology.

I have no intention of implying that people that have an end-of-course
certification are any better prepared or worse prepared than people that took
a course that doesn't offer an end-of-course certification.  I am quite sure
that there are some people who are what I would term a Lactation Consultant
Intern -- someone who has taken a course and is now working on getting their
BC hours that are better practitioners than some IBCLCs.  There are probably
some LPNs that are better than some RNs; some PAs that are better than some
MDs.

ILCA has gone on record stating that the only certification that is
acknowledged is the IBCLC credential.  This goes back to 1993.  In their
recommendations for lactation management education courses, they state that
"no end of course certification is granted."

In my personal opinion, since ILCA is our professional organization, I
believe it important to follow these guidelines.

Kathleen B said:

<<I think it is healthy and educational and productive to talk about
initials, certifications, etc, and what these things MEAN in terms of
practice and outcomes for mothers.  These issues need to be discussed
openly, honestly, and without fear of offending others who may not have the
same initials as we have.

I find that women often take offense easily, and that inhibits our ability
to work through these very important professional issues. Thank you all for
continuing to discuss this is a clear and productive manner>>


Please ladies, let's continue to discuss this without getting offended,
miffed, ticked off, insulted, or whatever.  There is NO INSULT INTENDED!


Jan Barger -- Wheaton IL
Lactation Education Consultants
www.lactationeducationconsultants.com

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