Deborah Wetherell has made a very useful contribution to the discussion of
this very complex issue.  Deborah, although you are a newcomer to Lactnet, I
am glad you have contributed a very thoughtful comment.

Virginia

Dr Virginia Thorley, OAM, PhD, IBCLC, FILCA 

Brisbane, Qld, Australia 

E: [log in to unmask] 

 

Deborah wrote: "....I agree that breastfeeding is in and of itself not a
medical issue (not to say that there are never medical problems related to
BF). I think it would be egregious to require that all IBCLC's obtain a
nursing or medical degree prior to or concurrent with the IBCLC designation.
However, as all health related professions . are going to at least a masters
and mostly doctoral level for advanced practice, it follows that the IBCLC
fellow will one day have the standard of masters or doctoral preparation. .

"I would say the larger problem is not that RN's are becoming IBCLC's and
therefore medicalizing the profession. The more significant problem is the
environment in which many dual RN/IBCLC's are practicing. RN's who practice
LC in a hospital setting are more prone to being forced into a medical model
as they are products of the culture. As Jessica mentioned, hospital
protocols (and dare I say insurance/billing?) require LC's to use
quantifiable, chartable data, at times irrespective of individual mom/baby
needs). The reason is not because they are RN's, but because in fact they
are in a hospital setting. . I think one way around this issue . is to have
IBCLC's (whether RN's or not) truly consult for the hospital. Rather than
hospitals hiring their own IBCLC's, these IBCLC's could be in an independent
practice role and consult and make daily rounds in the hospital, but not be
hospital employees. .

"And and urge you IBCLC's out there to please educate educate educate! Share
with pediatric, NICU, PICU, spec care nursery, L&D and mom/baby RN's on
breastfeeding!!!"

 

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