I want to share my situation as it occured with me a few years ago
regarding sitting for the IBCLC exam.  I wanted to sit for the exam, had
taken NUMEROUS lactation courses (over $5K in courses) had verified my
work hours through my human resources department, recorded the in/out
times every time I helped patients with breastfeeding for 4 weeks, and
computed an average of about 38% of my time spent with breastfeeding
assistance (does this seem out of line for a hospital-based post-partum RN
who was one of the ONLY people helping patients with BF?).  I then took my
application papers to my nurse manager who would not meet with me unless I
scheduled a meeting with the hospital RLC to sign my papers.  During this
meeting I was informed that the RLC had spent a whole day combing my
hours, separating out time spent in class, time spent when I floated, etc
and was willing to "grant" me less than 10% of my time working with
breastfeeding mothers.  The RLC had not counted a full 6 months of my
employment and had overlooked MANY worked hours for one reason or
another.  Please do not overlook the sentence "The RLC had spent A WHOLE
DAY combing my hours in Human Resources" (hmmm... legal?).  And though I
had a print out verifying my hours for the years I worked, it so worked
out that 10% of less than I actually worked certainly did not meet the
criteria for sitting for the exam.  (Was this the point of the day-long
pursuit of my hours and subsequent "granting" of less than 10%?) So,
needless to say, I did not take the exam that year, or the next year.  In
fact, I seriously contemplated leaving breastfeeding as a profession
because of the continual roadblocks placed in my path to prevent me from
doing what I so love.  This certainly was not in the best interests of the
patients I serve.  But at the time I felt like I did not want to be
associated with a title that would undermine my efforts as an aspiring
RLC.  No not every RLC is this way, but I was a very small fish in a great
big ocean.

Now, I highly respect the IBCLC title and envy those who have attained
such a reputable (yes I feel highly reputable) credential.  Those who have
attempted to call me a "Lactation Consultant" are quickly reminded that
this is not a title I have yet earned, although I continue to work hard at
pursuing this "dream."  I read, read, read.  I help, help, help.  I
continue to attend wonderful conferences many times/year (most recently
attending Healthy Children's wonderful evidence-based training taught by
Nikki Lee and Barbara O'Connor, two outstanding lactation professionals).
I speak frequently with friends who are LLL Leaders.  I teach
breastfeeding classes, and I continue to breastfeed my 7th child now 2
years old.  Though none of this qualifies me to be called a Lactation
Consultant, I practice evidence-based lactation assistance.  And I help A
LOT of women.

I do not wish to see another aspiring RLC ponder leaving the field of
breastfeeding forever over a situation like mine.  I do not wish to see
another helper discouraged from helping when intentions appear to be
good.  I do wish to see support as I often find here on LactNet and
continued education about the most up-to-date issues regarding
breastfeeding.  I know many of use are nurses, as well as breastfeeding
advocates.  I only ask that we do not allow the "eat your young" mentality
to spill over into a highly regarded profession that provides help every
day, in every town, in every country, all throughout the world.

There was some question about candidates falsifying hours.  I apologize
for my ignorance because I did not know that this would be possible.  I,
however, am the example of a qualified candidate who was denied the
possibility to attain the credential until I left my former employment and
was surrounded by RLC's who supported my efforts to test my knowledge and
experience and to add the coveted credential to my name.

My point is simply this... gulping up less experienced/trained individuals
and encouraging them to abandon their breastfeeding hopes does nothing to
promote the integrity of the profession.  I would gladly take under my
wing someone who needs a bit of guidance, rather than make a "foe" of the
person.  I desire not only to protect, promote and support breastfeeding,
but to apply the same standards to those nurses, lay-persons, mothers and
others who possess the fire about breastfeeding.

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