I would like to put something out there that to me is incredibly  important. 
I've read the materials. I've got Lawrence on the brain, I have all  the books 
that should be on my shelves.
What I have found nearly impossible to get is the hours to sit the  IBCLC 
exam. In order to get the experience in dealing with mothers, there has to  be 
mentorship with sound IBCLC's, of which I have found few to none that allow  
that kind of mentorship.
I agree that many IBCLC's are functioning at a lower level, because  they are 
professionals who can walk off their RN and just magically "have" the  hours 
they need "working" with women. Yet, women out here who would love to be  
working with moms can't get the hours because of whatever politics at their  local 
WIC office exist, or the IBCLC's that exist are too busy to  mentor.
I don't think that it's simply an educational standard that is  missing. It's 
also or perhaps ONLY a reliance on education rather than  experience with 
mothers in a guided atmosphere.  
I've seen OB go so far  downhill because the reliance is on the technology, 
the education, and the  "professionalism" without listening to and being with 
mothers, I hate to see  lactation fields go the same way, credentialing without 
experience, mentorship,  evidence and above all, listening to the mothers and 
babies.
Our very successful WIC peer support group was shut down after 2  meetings. 
Why? Because of politics internally over 'who' had the credentials.  Now those 
mothers are underserved.
 
 
Shannon Mitchell, CLC, CD, CBE

Information Services Director
International Cesarean  Awareness Network

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html