>>Because LCs are not licensed, it is difficult to focus on that specialty
and make a living.  I am probably in a good position to know that as I have
no interest in nursing
or midwifery and am solely obsessed with refining my specialty in human
lactation.I could go to a 2 yr nursing program and become an RN.  Then what?
Go to work in a hospt as a staff nurse who may or may not get to continue to
focus on my passion?<<

To Barbara and all--
I faced this question a few years ago myself. I abandoned my accounting
degree after having children and 5 years as an LLL Leader, and I pondered how
best to pursue becoming an LC.  For the sake of "credibility", I considered
getting an RN, then taking one of the CLC courses that require one to be a
health care provider. But, I realized that I would spend 2 heavy years away
from my family learning things that I would *not* be doing, and still no
closer in my LC skills. Therefore, I chose an alternate route which maximized
my lactation education, but which did not provide me with as much
"credibility".  I was just told today, for the upteenth time, that I "seem
like a nurse"-- this being from one of the L&D nurses who said she keeps
forgetting that I'm not a nurse.

Yes, I favor licensure. I deserve to have respect for my job and the ability
to make a living at it. I deserve the chance to be able to set up practice
independently and to be able to access insurance coverage for my services.  I
favor mandatory standards so that I can stop having to explain the difference
between IBCLC and CLC and CLE and lactation specialist and LLL and and
and................... and why!  I'm tired of trying to prove myself to
people who don't want to hear about it, and I need to earn the money to pay
back the student loan for my masters education.  I don't want to burn out
before I'm able to break even.

-Lisa Marasco, BA, LLLL, IBCLC
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