Hi all you breastfeeding goddesses! I need help. I am a Certified Lactation
Educator, trained at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland WA. I have had the
pleasure and priviledge of working with the biggest and best M-breastpump
Rental Station here in Seattle and thus have clocked well over 2000 hours
working with moms in their homes troubleshooting, renting pumps and
consulting where there is none, usually at 10:00 at night when no one else is
available. I have gained a great deal of confidence and feel quite capable of
handling the crisis situtation of engorgement or cracked bleeding nipples (or
whatever else falls into my lap at midnight). I can usually identify
mastitis, etc. and give them a care plan to follow until they reach an LC the
next day. I know where NOT to go in my realm of expertise and have a plethora
of LC's that I refer to. Anyway, to make a long story short, I feel good
about my skill level but I clearly have much to learn, I am heading back to
school but will not be completed until I have reached Nurse Practioner in
about 6 years (starting slow because I have 3 small children who need me). I
am not an RN, but I'm obviously planning on it, I have worked in L&D for 3
years as a HUC and Delivery TECH. Like I said, I have about 2000 hours
clocked working with lactating women in their homes, (usually 1-4 days post
partum, wonder why?) : ) I know a breastpump inside out, I love the challenge
of relactating a mother who chose ABM but discovered her baby had no
tolerance for it! I've nursed all three of my children and still am nursing
my 15 mo old. Anyway, what I need to know and I'm sorry to go on so long, is,
am I even a candidate to sit for IBCLC boards or am I like way down on the
totem pole! :( The reason why I ask is I'd love to be able to continue my
work with breastfeeding and wonder if having an IBCLC status would help me.
Is there work out there I could be doing as an IBCLC  even though I'm not a
nurse yet? Boy do I have a long way to go, anyway if there is anyone who has
a moment to guide me I would be forever grateful. I have many contacts here
but I hate to keeping knocking at the same door, and I'd love to meet some
new mentors! So e-mail me if you can and share all that wisdom. I have called
to get info on the exam for next July, plus I called for the mock exam
package from BSC. ( a start anyway). Sorry to be so long :)

Thanks for listening and I love Lactnet!

Nina J. Lanphear, CLE, LSP
In Seattle where we wish summer would
quit teasing us and just come!