I am behind on posts, so I hope this is not too late.
I totally agree with Carol B regarding Lacnet Discussion! We need to take our Maternal Role Hat off (Protective) and put on our Professional Role(analytical) Hat. We are not going to advance our care as LC's unless we are willing to vigorously discuss what we do with a critical eye. I remember as a young graduate student being awed and terrified at my first Hospital Grand Rounds at Case Western---a multidisciplinary team presented a case and then were brutally challenged by all the attending physicians, nurses, social workers, dietitians, residents, and medical students. I was awed because it was an incredible learning experience and one that has influenced my entire career as a nurse and terrified because as an MSN student I would eventually be presenting as a part of the team. 

Rather than think we are being "flamed" or attacked, we need to thank anyone who challenges us. Thank you Barbara for your most well thought out comments and to many others who do the same. And I happen to disagree with what Barabara said-I think that herbs have much more scientific data than nipple shields. There is much data in the German literature about herbs.  However, nipple shields do have some beginning data that we can use to support careful assessment, intervention, and evaluation in selected situations. That is more than I can say for some other interventions that we discuss without scrutiny or any data---suck training, finger feeding to name just a few. I am not saying that these may not be effective interventions, but they have not been scientifically studied.
Carol L'Esperance RN, MSN, IBCLC

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