> At the risk of sounding ignorant here, are you saying that it is the *time*
> that one has been a leader, regardless of the number, character , frequency
> of *calls*, that determines their eligibility to sit for the exam? Does
> that
> mean that there are former LLL leaders now LCs out there who may have had
> little counseling experience, telephone or otherwise prioir to sitting for
> the exam BUT had the CEUs and clocked time?
>
Just as we don't know what counselling approach a health care
professional might use, or whether an individual on any profession's
local listing is breastfeeding-friendly, we can't easily guess what kind
of calls have been generated in a particular area and which have made it
to one Leader's phone. The same is true with most exam candidates: an
L&D nurse may not have nearly as much experience with "normal toddler
nursing" as a La Leche League Leader; a nutritionist may work solely
with teenage mothers, a midwife may see babies in the early weeks. We
don't know who has exceptional research, communication, or technical
expertise. All of these people can learn, and all of us have things to
learn.
What we do know is that Leaders are experienced nursing mothers who give
their time generously, are available and willing to help (are on-call)
all day and, in many cases, all night, who never know what situation
will be handed to them, that they make a commitment to staying
up-to-date and learn, very early on, when to refer, when to consult,
where to find information, and, perhaps most importantly, how to
listen... all of those things are really valuable not only in preparing
for the exam but for working effectively with a wide range of mothers.
Jo-Anne Elder-Gomes, IBCLC

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