Thank you to everyone who has posted about the issue of credentials and our 
futures as IBCLCs. So much food for thought. Many people have literally 
"walked through fire" to become IBCLC and to keep learning and gaining 
skills. This is what we all hope our sister IBCLCs are willing to do.

Perhaps the IBCLC credential is not valued because not every IBCLC is 
willing to "walk through the fire" like you all have done to become educated 
and highly skilled. Private emails tell me that some think their skills as 
non-IBCLC are better than the IBCLCs they know. I agree this is very likely 
and have seen it myself.

And the discussion of non-RN IBCLC vs. RN IBCLC misses the point, also. One 
is not particularly better on it's own merits but as we evolve as a 
profession, more medical knowledge is called for as well as good counseling 
skills and the knowledge of nursing babies beyond the first week or month of 
life. How can we make sure we get to where all candidates are well rounded, 
knowledge and skill wise?

As I have talked to IBCLCs who came up as a lay BF helper (like myself), I 
notice defensiveness about the issue of a more formal schooling for future 
IBCLCs. I say don't be defensive - you should be proud about how you climbed 
mountains to become a top notch IBCLC! What has worked in the past may not 
be go great in the future. But that doesn't mean you have done anything 
wrong, or are less than anyone else!

I would like to see the exam focus on book learning but there also be an in 
person "exam" over consultation skills and knowledge about our professional 
standards of practice and code of ethics. This is why I think the only way 
to get that type of thing is from a structured learning environment like 
formal schooling. How else can we make sure the exam candidate really can do 
a top notch lactation consultation (as many claim some IBCLCs can not do)?

Kathy Eng, BSW, IBCLC 

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