Hi All,

While the subject line seems to have nothing to do with BF, it does, really!
 I'll tie it in I promise!

My older son was taught "Creative" spelling.  At 11 he still has the worst
time spelling things because he didn't learn it the right way first.  Now I
am not into rote memorization for a lot of reasons, but kids need to be
taught the basics from the start, not start with whatever sounds ok, then fix
it later.  Same thing with the writing he was taught (write whatever you
want, even if you can't read it yourself later {creative spelling again} and
make up something when you read it back to the teacher) and with the
"creative" math.  My word what a pain!  We have had quite a time re-training
him to write properly and do math properly.

Ok, how does this tie into BF?  Several ways:
1)  We have people out there who have reaad several books, taken a BF class
or course, and they go out and call themselves LC's.  They don't really know
what they are doing, and they haven't any real formal training in the field
of Lactation.  But becausse they read some books and BF a kid or two, off
they go.  This causes problems (as we have all had to deal with the aftermath
of a "LC" who wasn't) for moms and the title Lactation Consultant.   I call
these people "Creative" , because they have "created" their own title without
earning it.  If they should someday really get some good education and truly
become involved in studying for IBCLC, they again cause problems because it
is "Hard to teach an old dog new tricks" so to speak.  They have become set
in their ways, and their ideas, and it is hard to re-learn what you think you
already know.
(I am not say ALL people who do this are problems, but there are sure a lot
of them out there who do cause problems!)

2)  In the Medical field:  Nurses who have taken a CLE course of some sort
are then given the title "LC" without actually knowing what they are doing.
 They get into hands-on stuff they shouldn't be dealing with and problems
occur.  They guess at solutions without going to the experts.  Oft times they
don't have a choice but to do this, they aren't given the neccessary
opportunities to improve their skills, the hospital is too cheap (or stupid)
to hire an IBCLC for the job, and I could go on.....
Again we have the "Creative" solutions happening and who is harmed?  Moms and
babies and the LC field.

In this field we need creative solutions to the problems we are faced with
every day.  But there is a difference in being creative in a responsible way,
and being creative in an irresponsible way.  I am glad that we have each
other to help us be responsible!

Just a pet peeve...

Jay

PS  I did find the bridge story funny in a pathetic sort of way.  You'd think
those "Experts" would have had a clue, huh?