Hi,
> Many LCs, particularly those of us who served as volunteers for many years
>before beginning professional practice, have grappled over the issue of
>charging fees. I repeat what I have said before: It costs time and money
>to develop expertise, and we do not see our colleagues in the other
>professions begruding each other the income they make from that effort. I
>don't know a single LC who is getting rich from this work. What is far more
>common is the number of (mostly) women who are sacrificing in order to stay
>in the profession. Often the very families who complain about the cost of
>seeing an expert LC are the ones who blew hundreds of bucks on a fancy
>breastpump, etc.
Can I just repeat that I am *not* an LC in any shape or form (paid or
voluntary). I have no training and support I do is purely mother-to-
mother. I *always, always, always* encourage mothers to contact either
LLL (for support) and/or to get an LC. I am not familiar with *paid* LCs
as I don't think they exist in Britain (we have enough trouble trying to
persuade women to breastfeed without charging them!), but I do try to
remember you exist when suggesting sources of help.
I did make it a rule never to criticise an LCs advice, and have on many
occasions emailed women who are refusing to listen to their LC and try
and persuade them to give the advice a chance. However, I did break my
rule once when I heard of an LC advising a woman with mastitis to wean
for 24 hours and give formula via a *bottle* (the baby was days old) -
shock made me less tactful than usual. I still think this was attrocious
advice, but as you say, there are a lot of non-accredited so-called LCs
about. I understand your frustration about this lack of professionalism.
People like me aren't trying to take your work away from you, but I
think it is unrealistic to expect women to pay for an LC when they have
reached the point that they think they are failures and don't really
*believe* anyone can help. Seeing an LC would seem like a waste of money
if you think it's pointless. Step one is boosting their confidence to
seek help - once they've done that, you're usually home free. If I may
boast, most of the women I have emailed have eventually got an LC to
help.
I see nothing wrong with charging for your expertise, but pity the
British because we can't even get women to breastfeed when they get
*free* advice :-( (sorry, I am getting discouraged).
The latest update on my three emailers is that one turns out to be
British and lives up the road from me - I was able to refer her to
people by name (which is always a help); one has given up and is pumping
as much EBM as possible and bottle-feeding it and the other is having a
disagreement with her LLL leader and she is not going to like my latest
email which says that perhaps her LLL leader is right? I think she'll
make it however, if someone can convince her! :-)
--
Anna (mummy to Emma, born 17th Jan 1995 and Alice, born 11th Sept 1996)
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You were hungry and I was sorry.
You were thirsty, and I blamed the world.
You were a stranger, and I pointed you out.
You were naked, and I turned you in.
You were sick, and I said a prayer.
You were in prison, and I wrote a poem. STEVE TURNER
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Web Page: http://www.ratbag.demon.co.uk/anna
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