I want to chime in on this discussion since I have been in quite a number of
roles of lactation consultants.

I applaud the expertise of the mother-to-mother support group and WIC
canidate for IBLCE.  They have delt with mothers from prenatal to first
month concerns and older baby concerns.  Most are not seeing mothers on day
1, 2, or 3 so they are not experts on a variety of issues.

But,  I also applaud the expertise of the RN canidate.  They may lack the
experience of older baby issues or even the prenatal concerns, but they are
experts in the first feed to the first few days of breastfeeding- an
important time for getting mothers started!   They can latch a baby onto the
mother who is going in and out of sleep and deal with anatomical
abnomalacies along with coping with the medical issues.  I always thought
they had the advantage on the exam with their prior knowledge of medical
terms and conditions, but I hear from them that they don't know a lot about
the older baby  issues and have forgotton the ages & stages of development
as they do not use that info often.


Neither is the *BEST* way, both have their strong and weak issues.

Terriann Shell
(from a non-League mother-to-mother support background, but also having
worked as a WIC LC, hosptial LC, & a volunteer group paid LC)

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