I feel there is a need for more marketing of the role and the profession of the IBCLC so that the general public and the other health care professionals understand it.  And, I feel it takes all of us to collaboratively educate the others of our role....to speak about our standards of practice, to educate on what a consult entails - that according to our standards of practice, it necessitates a written informed consent and a medical report to the physician.

I visited my area league meeting on Tuesday this week and one of the expectant mothers asked the leader what is a lactation consultant.  I hope I answered her question effectively.  I did refer the mom to the website of our association and I hope she informs herself on the information there.  But, another way for us to educate others on the role of the IBCLC is to take the new flyers available from IBLCE on "What is an IBCLC" and distribute it widely.  Take the information on the ILCA website under IBCLC Day and distribute it widely.

I personally think we are making strides in gaining recognition as a unique profession, which is the exact reason I feel strongly that this is the time for all of us to get on the bandwagon and collaborate together to educate others.  Another time in the past and I don't think the role of the LC would have been allowed to have been voiced in my area league meeting.  No mothers there had additional words to contribute to my statement, which tells me they're uninformed of our role.

We need to keep marketing our profession everyday.  No one else is going to do it for us, and to "whine" that it is solely the responsibility of our association's PR/marketing dept. or that we don't have time is also not going to achieve anything.

Carol Chamblin, RN, MS, IBCLC

Breast 'N Baby Lactation Services, Inc.

St. Charles, IL


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