Dear Lactnet Friends:
The climate of breastfeeding support in the US is very different now than
it was in 1975, when I started.
There are many pioneers of work with mothers and babies that have no
breastfeeding credential at all. Folks like Kittie Frantz, and Lennart
Righard, and Chloe Fisher, Mavis Gunther, the fabulous Swedish midwives who
are too numerous to mention (Svesson, Widstrom, Ransjo-Arvidson etc. etc.)
None of the founding mothers of LLL had any credential.
One's curiosity and interest, blending with integrity and sincere desire to
serve, and openness are the prerequisites to best practice.
Today's climate has changed. Nursing mothers groups, the training grounds
for many, are dwindling as folks can't volunteer much any more. They are
too busy working and earning money. Back in the 80s and 90s, an experienced
La Leche League Leader would have been my first choice for a helper.
Today, it is more difficult to find such a person. Where is a new person
to start when the peer counseling world has shrunk? Where can such a person
find opportunity and outlet for their passion? Nowadays, it is often, at
least in the US, by taking a course.
According to the CDC in the 2014 Breastfeeding Report Card, three types of
breastfeeding helpers are counted. La Leche League Leaders, CLCs ("CLCs
provide education and counseling about breastfeeding."), and IBCLCs
("IBCLCs specialize in the clinical management of human lactation and
breastfeeding.")
http://www.cdc.gov/breastfeeding/pdf/2014breastfeedingreportcard.pdf
That is from whence I took my comment.
warmly,
--
Nikki Lee RN, BSN, Mother of 2, MS, IBCLC, CCE, CIMI, ANLC, CKC
Author:* Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Breastfeeding Therapy*
www.nikkileehealth.com
https://www.facebook.com/nikkileehealth
*Get my FREE webinar series*
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