Thank you, Chris, for your eloquent post on LCs as a profession, and the
importance of membership in our professional association.

I would have little confidence in a nurse, doctor, lawyer, physiotherapist,
etc. who chose not to belong to her/his professional association, if indeed
it WAS a choice. For most
professionals, it's not, and the fees are substantially higher
than membership in ILCA. I can't imagine working as an LC and not being a
member of ILCA.

For the person who posted that not being a member doesn't
influence her work as an LC "one iota," I beg to differ. There's a sense of
connection, of being a part of a profession, that comes from membership. The
journal is, of course, an important part of membership and essential reading
IMO. And if lactation work is such a tiny part of the overall work, perhaps
there isn't a need for the certification (guess that's another
conversation...)

Being a member means more than just reading a journal. It hurts ILCA when
many IBCLCs don't join (as it hurts national organizations like the Canadian
Lactation Consultant Association when IBCLCs don't join them). It hurts in
terms of decreased membership fees, therefore less money to do things; it
hurts in terms of numbers when trying to get grants, impress government
officials, etc. Professionals need to ask themselves not just "what's in it
for me" if I buy a membership, but what's in it for the profession?

Being a professional brings with it some costs. And if those of you IN the
US think it's expensive to get
training and pay for memberships, try living OUTSIDE the US. But while I may
whine about this, I'm not going to use it as an excuse not to be a member of
my professional organization.

Leslie Ayre-Jaschke, BEd, IBCLC
Peace River, Alberta, Canada
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