I have been watching this topic with great interest as I am a nursing
student just months away from taking my boards. I also hope to be an IBCLC
at some point in the future as well. I am mom of a 5 month old who with whom
I have run a long road trying to be successful at breastfeeding.  Through my
trials I have found myself reflecting on my lessons which teach me that
nursing care needs to focus on the holistic health of the patient.  That
includes considering the many systems (family, community, etc) that make the
patient who she is.  This, unfortunately, seems to be increasingly lost in
the health care field.  We become too focused on treating the disease or the
problem.  I think in order to bring a balance to this, we need people like
you all to fill in the gaps.  Yes, I think breastfeeding is 'medical' in the
sense that it involves the wellness of the mom-baby dyad and those in
medical positions are charged with assisting the patient to maintain an
optimal level of wellness. That being said, I have come to realize that
right now I have only witnessed medical practices that have jeopardized
breastfeeding efforts.  We need to strive to build a mutual relationship
with doctors and nurses so that IBCLC's and medical professional can work
together to help moms be successful at breastfeeding.  IBCLC's ARE experts
in their field and the medical community needs to refer their patients to
the experts that can help them.  But this will only happen if we can create
a partnership with them.  How is this best achieved?  I'm not sure at this
point, but hopefully as I progress in my career I will be able to have some
influence on that.  
So please do not despair that the medical field will be a big, bad wolf
forever.  There are future nurses out there who are working toward creating
that partnership that will help our moms achieve optimum holistic wellness.

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