I am a CLC and find that I have to correct people daily when they call me a
"Lactation Consultant"...I am not and I make that distinction (quite frankly
it baffles me that people wouldn't make that distinction...its like taking
something that isn't yours).  When the hospital printed my badge I had to
have it re-printed because they put "Lactation Consultant".  My badge now
clearly states "Lactation Counselor".  Possibly that is the issue many
times...people are not corrected.   Its funny, when people mistakenly call
me a Lactation Consultant and I explain the differences many have said
"oh...so you are like a midwife and she is like the OB."  I guess it is
close...I am there for the normal stuff...support, etc. but when things go
south or I am unsure, I call in the big guns and she takes it from there.

Make no mistake, I have worked very hard in my lactation career/studies and
feel that I am skilled in my area as a lactation counselor.  I also think
that I may have a unique situation...I had been intensively trained and was
blessed to shadow an IBCLC for more than a year before taking the CLC
class/training and am still under her wing (so thankful!).  I am closely
supervised and give reports almost daily of the clients that I work with.
I am educated and knowledgeable but she is the IBCLC and I am not (YET).  I
still have a ways to go and much to learn.

It makes me wonder what things would be like if every CLC had an IBCLC to
shadow and mentor them.  I feel so blessed to have such a skilled,
dedicated, generous, unselfish person to help me in my journey.

Thanks for letting me share.
F.R.O.G.
Colette Baran, CLC
Berkshire Nursing Families
Berkshire North WIC

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rose Straeter, IBCLC" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Tuesday, March 13, 2007 11:34 AM
Subject: credentials


I have been reading the posts about IBCLC credentials.  I put a lot of time
and
effort into getting my IBCLC credentials.  Like many of you I am proud of
that
fact and enjoy what I do.  I was first certified in 1994.  That was before
the
CLC was popular.  My current observation is that local people see both CLC
and IBCLC as the same.  CLC's are also locally called Lactation Consultants
and there is no distinction.  So I pay lots of money to maintain my degree
(take CERPS which sometimes aren't offered - some workshops only offer CEUS
for CLC) retake the exam every 10 years - and lately I am frustrated and
wonder if the new CLC is so poplular that I am obsolete.  I don't want to
offend any CLC's - that is NOT my intention.  I am just frustrated with my
credentials and what it means to the general population.  I am looking for
feedback from others in this profession - both IBCLC and CLC.

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