I want to toss my thoughts in on the discussion of the IBCLC credential.
   
  IMO, and from what I've been reading, I would summarize to say that we want to operate similarly to PT or OT and be a stand-alone allied healthcare specialist--referred to for specialty care.
   
  Problem is that both of those are post-graduate level degrees (in the US system).  In order to reach that level, Lactation (maybe LT?) would have to be added as a clinical specialty at colleges and univsersities.  I think that is entirely valid and there is more than enough material that could easily fill a curriculum of 1-2 yrs full-time coursework (physiology, theory, pathology, pharmacology and clinical practice) and finishing with some type of internship or, even better, built in internship throughout the coursework.
   
  I think that this is likely to happen when Human Milk and Lactation gain universal recognition.  We are going in that direction.  The IBCLC credential demonstrates the trend in two ways.  First, that we have a unified credential and test for it and that the material is sufficiently demanding as to (as entry level credential) require 2500 contact hours, continuing ed and baseline coursework--tested by a daylong exam.  Second, the recognition that the profession has gained has increased markedly in the past decade both in the general public and in the medical field.  
   
  We have made such huge strides in just 50 yrs, going from the time that breastfeeding was practically vanquished to where we are today.  When I work with getting a baby back to breast, I always tell a mom, that she can (roughly) expect to take twice as long to fix as it did to mess things up so she has a gauge of how patient she needs to be.  I think we are doing pretty darn well for coming off of 2-3 generations of being messed up.  We have to keep ourselves clear that we are moving forward, it just won't happen overnight.
   
  We have to continue to move forward, using the positive aspects of our field that have been established.  IBCLC may not be perfect, but it has recognition now and we cannot abandon that without losing respect of medical establishment and confusing the general public.  
   
  I also want to add what a unique field we are all involved in, even just using Lactnet as an example.  I feel quite fortunate to be involved with a group who care passionately, collaborate freely and on their own time and whose approach to the field is (compared to other medical subspecialties) quite unified.
   
  Karen Seroussi, LLLL, IBCLC, MS-2
  Des Moines, IA, USA

 
---------------------------------
TV dinner still cooling?
Check out "Tonight's Picks" on Yahoo! TV.

             ***********************************************

Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html
Mail all commands to [log in to unmask]
To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask])
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask])
To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]