I do not believe that the IBCLE is the best organization to determine a minimum standard 
for breastfeeding counselors when they have demonstrated through their language and 
presentations that they do not understand the difference between peer counseling which 
has its own set of distinct skills and a "lower level credential".  A peer counselor is NOT a 
lower level, it is a DIFFERENT SET OF SKILLS.  

La Leche League International has far greater experience in this regard and I cannot think 
of a single public or private health care approach that even comes close to scaling up the 
way La Leche League has, nor with as much success.  I'm thinking of female health 
volunteers in Nepal, barefoot doctors in China, community health workers in many 
countries.  NONE have gone international in the same way La Leche League has done.

No, I do no believe that the IBCLE is the appropriate credentialling body for peer-
counselors. Nor do I believe we need more studies to prove this.  

And as for a study of the needs -- I feel about the same way that I did when a University 
team was given a million dollar grant to study needs for democratization.  They spent two 
solid years sitting in a village in Cambodia.  I could have reached the same conclusion in 
about five minutes.  The Cambodians in that village never even got to the lofty needs that 
the team was hoping they would express in the focus groups and in-depth interviews.  
What was their need?  Food.  Yes, food.

Who is going to finance the type of huge large-scale study to determine what women 
need to breastfeed more easily in the United States?  There is no such funding on that 
scale.  And when have consumer needs driven the health care that US citizens are able 
access within the United States?   

Best, Susan Burger

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