With all due respect to Betsy:

 

My comments re: the MD/IBCLC was to make a point:  If an MD is seeing a
patient as an IBCLC the SofP makes it clear the IBCLC MUST make clear under
which role s/he is working when giving information or service that is now
considered outside the IBLCE SofP.  Last line of the SofP.  That does mean
that those of us with multiple certifications will need to do some serious
'role jumping' if we want to follow the new SofP correctly.  

 

I will also say, with all due respect, we do not (in my opinion) look LESS
professional because we are expressing our frustrations and valid concerns
about this new SofP (that makes absolutely no sense for all the reasons
already discussed).  We have the right and the responsibility as
professionals to discuss this issue as it affects every single one of us as
well as those coming up in the ranks.  I got a call from a gal today who
wants to become an IBCLC.  It was hard for me to not say - don't bother
until we get this straightened out - I can't tell a mom anything different
than you now so why waste the time and money?  

 

This is NOT dissention - it seems to me to be a nearly complete consensus
with some of our most well known colleagues on board that this new SofP is a
serious issue that warrants open discussion - NOW.  Thank goodness it was
brought to our attention immediately.  Thanks Jan!

 

This is not semantics pure and simple - someone made a mistake.  And in my
opinion a pretty big one.  Is this an April Fool's Joke???  Because it ain't
April people!  There are many issues with this new SofP that create
extraordinary problems for the IBCLC - RN or not.  I might as well have
tossed my IBCLC certificate today a couple of times because I had to
contradict an MD's comments that were blatantly incorrect and could have
been harmful to the dyad.  And I may as well toss it right now because we
all know I'll be giving out information and contradicting MD's on a regular
basis.  I have no problem talking with the MD, by the way.  I am quite
capable of that - and I will disagree with them if I need to (as I have done
in the past) .They are not always right.  No one is.yeah, including me.(poor
attempt at humor there - everyone sigh and roll your eyes now..)

 

Betsy stated:  As an RN, I also have to practice within the nurse practice
act of my state. We all are bound by restrictions, regardless of our
professions.

 

Jaye says:  This may be true - however, when the restrictions contradict the
rest of our standards of practice and code of ethics we have a serious
problem.  These new restrictions make your and my IBCLC certification
USELESS.  

 

Betsy also states:  At what point do all of us put the ball back in the
consumer's court? Why are we feeling totally responsible for a person's
breastfeeding experience? You give evidence based information and let the
consumer take responsibility for the individual outcome.

 

Jaye here again:  Betsy, I feel you have missed the point:  With the new
SofP an IBCLC cannot give evidence based information - especially if it
contradicts what an MD has said.  If we do, we are potentially: diagnosing
(mastitis, thrush), treating (giving treatment protocols for mastitis or
thrush), recommending alternative therapies (CST, gentian violet),
performing invasive procedures (digital suck exam), giving instruction of
invasive procedure (treatment of nipple bleb).the list can go on and on.  

 

It is my JOB as directed by the Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics to
educate parents and HCP's as necessary.but the SofP has now rendered that
job nearly impossible.  I do not feel responsible for a mother's
breastfeeding experience - never have in fact.  They need appropriate
information in order to be responsible for their individual outcome - but we
are now hogtied.  And I do certainly feel for parents because they get so
much crap information out there from other HCP's (of all credentialing) who
clearly don't know what they are talking about.   

 

IE:  The nurse (RN) who wrote on paper that baby should only be fed every
3-4 hours!!!  The mom who was told (by 2 LC's at a local hospital during a
10 min consult in a room with 8 other mothers) her baby was a 'popper'
(loses suction with EVERY suck and pops on and off the breast with every
suck) and there was NOTHING they could do.  Baby would either figure it out
and get better - or not.  (funny, I figured out the problem by performing an
invasive procedure called a digital suck exam that I am no longer able to do
under the new SofP) How about the ENT who told the mother of a clearly TT
baby that the baby had NO frenulum??  Or the ENT with 25 yrs experience who
told the parents that there was no need to clip, she should deal with the
pain, there would be NO long term issues and he flat out refused to clip.
Baby couldn't even get milk from the bottle easily!  We all have these
stories, don't we?

 

I took the time to educate myself and take the IBLCE exam for a reason and I
feel it is my responsibility (per the IBLCE Standards of Practice) to
educate those parents who do not have the education I do and who have HCPs
who do not have the education I do (regardless of their better-than-mine
credentials).  Someone out there has to protect and assist these families if
at all possible by giving them the CORRECT information.  Someone has to help
them find the information they need and give them the tools with which to
advocate for themselves and if necessary assist in that advocating.  The HCP
certainly isn't going to have time do that.  Most don't even have time to
look up Advil in Hale (or any other book) to see that it is perfectly fine
with BF so one of us now has to risk her credential to say "It's FINE."  

 

So, bottom line in my opinion is that we all have a lot to be worried about
here.  Regardless of what other initials you have after your name, if you
are an IBCLC it behooves you to take this seriously not blow it off as
another set of restrictions you simply have to abide by.  We need a SofP
that makes sense and does not contradict the Standards of Practice and Code
of Ethics.one that does not restrict our freedom of speech and ability to
give correct information to parents.one that makes sense.

 

To all who have written re: this - keep the discussion coming - it is
important - IBLCE needs to know how we feel about this.  I keep thinking
this has to be either an early or late April Fool's joke - or at least just
a bad dream.  It just makes me sick to think that I worked so hard for
something that means so much to me only to have to toss it aside because if
I follow the SofP to the letter I cannot do my job the way I was taught.  I
am here to help moms, babies, families - I can't do that effectively of
appropriately under the new SofP.

 

Sadly,

 

Jaye

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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