<< However, if the "International" wants to remain
<<international, you have to bear in mind cultural bias when
<<history is being hammered out and our profession becomes more
<<clearly defined and understood world-wide. Perhaps what is needed
<<is several levels of the profession, with varying competencies
<<(do I understand correctly that this is the meaning of "entry
<<level"?). Eg, since I am not allowed in the hospital and most
<<nurses at my hospital are hostile, I have almost no contact with
<<preemies, pumps or very early problems in bfing. A lot of my work
<<is trying to undo hospital foul-ups or misunderstandings
<<engendered by hospital policies   (Judy Knopf)


Hi Judy,

I believe from your qualifications and experience you would have quite a
good case for qualifying to sit the IBLCE exam (although with recent
changes to criteria, others may correct me). My understanding is that the
original exam was set up to allow people from different backgrounds,
including lay counsellors (eg LLL, NMAA, NCT, etc) to have their skills
recognised professionally. I am an IBCLC with a lay counsellor background
with NMAA, and have no practical experience with premies, newborns, etc. It
was interesting that when in a study group prior to sitting the exam, we
had quite a mixture of backgrounds amongst the candidates. This meant that
we all came to realise where each of our study focuses had to be. I had to
concentrate on the "hospital" side, and the nurse/midwives had to
concentrate more on counselling skills and problems of later lactation (ie
more than about 7 days old!). Once qualified, we all continued with the
areas we were already involved in - we are certainly not all experts in
*all* aspects of lactation even if we all have the same letters after our
names. Those with lay counsellor backgrounds have mostly gone into private
practice and see mothers after they have left hospital (and, like you, try
to fix up the hospital foul-ups, etc.!), while the nurse/midwives have
sought opportunities to use their qualification within the hospital system
(still in its early stage here in Australia - most are still employed as
midwives, etc and not as LC's).

Despite the preponderance of US LC's on Lactnet, there *are* lots of
IBCLC's in other countries, especially Australia. Word of Lactnet is only
slowly filtering through here at present, but I am sure we will see lots
more non-US people joining up fairly soon. (Will the numbers become so
great that the number of messages, and topics of discussion will be too
much to handle each day? - I don't know how some of you find the time to
take in everything being discussed and then send your comments back so
regularly. I am battling to keep up just reading it all!!)

Joy Anderson,
Perth, Western Australia