I am the only IBCLC in my hospital. Most of the staff have now done a 30
hour course on breastfeeding taught by me and other IBCLC's, and more and
more I am hearing that they are all calliing themselves LC's.
I got a call from a dad who said that the baby is nearly 2 weeks old and is
still losing weight. He said that all the LC's in the hospital said that
the moms nipples were perfect for breastfeeding, and that the baby is
breastfeeding great.
There is your clue: in LC training, we don't have a course on rating
nipples!! (There are nipples that are a LC's nightmare, but we never let the
mom know that she has distasterous nipples, just as we don't say: wow you
have perfect nipples!!) In this case, the mom has those long nipples which
are perfect for one thing.......having the baby attach to the end and suck
endlessly getting a few drops every now and then. But the LC said
everything was great. I am the LC and I never even saw her, and if I had
seen her I would have helped her see that the baby was not attached
correctly and not getting milk.
So here's the plan: tomorrow morning, I am going to have a talk with the
head nurse. Here is the gist of the talk:
I have been working in this hospital for more than 4 years now. I have
learned so much from the nurses.......watching and talking to them. I see
that moms really trust the nurses, so I am going to start calling myself a
nurse........they will take what I say more seriously.
Can you imagine her reaction?
No, you have to study for years to be a nurse, and pass exams, and be
certified, etc, etc, etc.
And of course you can imagine what will be my response.
I am beginning to be sorry that we started teaching all these courses. so
many moms are coming to our clinic after seeing and paying lots of money to
a "lactation consultant", who it turns out was one of the nurses who took a
mini course and is now calling herself an LC and doesn't have a clue.
Or you hear about some baby who was hosptalized because a LC told the mom to
do such and such.....it was not an LC, but only I know that.
We have to educate the public.
Esther Grunis, IBCLC ( the B is for burnt-out, no?) make that IBOLC ( I'm a
Burnt Out Lactation Consultant) ON second thought make that IBCLR
(International Board Certified Lactation Rehabilitator)
Lis Maternity Hospital
Tel Aviv, Israel
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