Georgia said:
"If the S of P is allowed to stay as it is what we will see in 20 years
is that very few LC's will come from different backgrounds other than
RN, MD backgrounds...I.e., you won't be a "real" LC without the medical
degree too...  and as many of you pointed out, part of what makes LCs so
effective is the many knowledge bases/educational cultures from which we
evolve."  

I agree and want to add that if you have to be an RN or an MD to be an
IBCLC, then is it really even a separate profession?  It is then just an
added certification to a medical/nursing degree.  How many MDs bother to
get it now?  Not many.  If it restricts what we are able to do so much,
what will be the advantage to an RN to become IBCLC?  I know that
because I am not an RN or an MD I can't do some of the things that I
might if I was. But I also have a lot of medical knowledge that was PART
of the knowledge base for my IBCLC.  I have other background from having
worked as a social worker for 20 years that does not come with an RN or
MD that is helpful in dealing with the many psychosocial issues involved
in breastfeeding in a culture not conducive to breastfeeding. 

Perhaps we should prepare a letter to send from Lactnet members
expressing concerns with this that we could sign and send in
individually?

Lucy Towbin, MSW, LCSW, IBCLC

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