All this discussion about CLC, LCE, IBCLC reminds me of the problems we
childbirth educators have had for years. Anyone can put a shingle out and
call themselves a childbirth educator. People do not know the difference
between LCCE, CCE, ICCE. And then there are those that just make up their
own. Even childbirth classes at the local hospital, they offer *Lamaze*
classes. Nothing can be further from the truth. It is the labor and delivery
nurses teaching what the hospital wants them to teach, they are not certified
by anyone. I think this is one of the reasons that Lamaze International now
has a trademark on the name Lamaze, and people must be approved to use the
name Lamaze. Unfortunately, there is no enforcement agency to follow up with
the hospitals and people using the name.  I have been a Lamaze certified
childbirth educator for 27 years, it is so frustrating to me that my
education really is misunderstood by the consumer.  I find myself educating
people when they call, just what questions to ask to see if the educator they
chose is certified and by whom.
I absolutely understand how frustrating it is for IBCLC's.

> what you have is an
> end-of-educational-program-certification -- and using that term -- CLC, CLE,
> CBS, CLS, C---whatever -- is a major problem.
>
Roni M. Chastain, RN, LCCE, FACCE
Long Island, New York
LCCE  Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator
FACCE Fellow American College of Childbirth Educators

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