Dear Gonneke - Every time I read your messages I want to give you a BIG hug
for supporting what I believe as a La Leche League Leader and as an IBCLC.
Everything you have written below supports what I practice.  The only thing
I might see differently is that I do consider myself a healthcare provider;
not in the sense that I am a medical person but because I protect, promote,
and support healthy practices.

Yes, I think all of this has to do with where an LC comes from.  In the USA,
especially in the big cities and hospitals, we tend to be enormous consumers
of commercial products and are intimidated to not respectfully disagree with
our colleagues.  So ----- many LCs lug around these heavy scales; it makes
them look more important and more correct than those who do not; it makes
them feel as if the scales can uncover the BF problems faster; etc.  But the
scales don't really do any of that; what they do is make the scale-selling
companies richer.  That is what is at the bottom of a lot of what is common
practice in the USA ---- the Almighty Dollar.

I prefer to concentrate on uncovering the BF problems and resolving them.
Most of the time, my low-tech approach works; when it does not, I consult
one of my more knowledgeable IBCLC colleagues ---- yes, even those who carry
around those heavy scales and hurt their backs in the process.  They are
still wonderful IBCLCs and I have a tremendous amount of respect for their
expertise in the field of lactation counseling.  But I don't perpetuate the
supposed need for weighing babies; let the medical practices do that; let
them be responsible for what it indicates.  Now where is my armor to protect
me from the flames?

Warm regards,

Lee Galasso, MS, LLLL, IBCLC, RLC

Westchester County in NYS, USA

"Children Are Born with the Need to Breastfeed"

 

 

 

Date:    Fri, 3 Jun 2011 11:44:33 -0700

From:    gonneke van veldhuizen <[log in to unmask]>

Subject: Re: weighing in

 

I never ever weight a child for lactation consultation. Lactation
consultancy is not a health check up. My concern is
mother-baby-breastfeeding. Weighing is done by midwifes, GP's, well-baby
clinic doctors and nurses - my weighing an extra time will not add any
valuable information and probably only add to the confusion of yet another
scale and another method. I instruct mothers to have baby weighted at
certain intervals at their preferred place at roughly the same time of day
and on the same scale. I concentrate on 1) getting baby fed, 2) preferably
at breast or 3) at least with mom's milk.

Could this have to do with were a LC ''comes from''? I have no health care
background, but a teaching and a BF counselor (LLL) one.In my view lactation
counseling is not healt care, but counseling and teaching.

 

Warmly,

 

gonneke, IBCLC in PP, LC lecturer in southern Netherlands

 


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