I also have a lot of concerns about the future of the IBCLC profession. I 
would like to thank Barbara for continuing this even without a lot of 
discussion coming back.

I recently did a course of physical therapy for an injury. I went into this 
expecting the staff to know how to help me. They had college degrees and 
were experienced in the necessary steps. They had treated other patients 
with similar injuries before and could explain throughout every step of the 
way why we were doing what we doing. While I was there, a student or intern 
also helped me. She got training on the job which she said was invaluable. 
But she was never left alone to do her own thing.

This is one way that the IBCLC profession is different. One can accrue hours 
working with moms without direct supervision from someone knowledgeable. 
Parents do not have any guarantees that the person who is helping them is 
actually trained enough to help them. Just that if she is IBCLC she passed 
an exam.

Like someone else said, what is beginning level? And is someone who is IBCLC 
and at a beginning level supposed to be better than other helpers (say peer 
counselors or lay support group leaders)? We don't always see that with our 
current system.

Again, this brings us back to one of our profession's weaknesses -- a lack 
of good training.

And I can't see going to a lower credential when IBLCE already says that the 
exam certifies people at a beginning level. Moms think the title IBCLC is 
supposed to mean someone skilled and knowledgeable. How is the public going 
to differentiate from a lower credential and an IBCLC in the future when 
they don't do so NOW?

But I do agree that our profession must move forward towards better training 
and credentialing because we must show the public that we are worth the 
money (and right now this isn't necessarily true).

Kathy Eng, BSW, IBCLC 

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