No one should take offense when it is pointed out that SOME PEOPLE go to a
one-day course and then act as though they have the same knowledge and
experience as someone with an IBCLC, and present themselves to an unknowing
public as a "Lactation Consultant."

Some people who are CLEs may in fact have more knowledge and experience and
compassion, and be of more use to mothers, than those who have earned the
IBCLC credential purely for the 'power' it gives them, but who continue to
hand out bad advice based on their personal feelings/opinions which are not
truly supportive of breastfeeding.

I don't think the general public has any clue about the difference between
what it takes to earn the title "Certified Lactation Educator" (which may be
a 3-hour course, at the end of which one gets a certificate), and an IBCLC.
WE HERE, on the other hand, know that the IBCLC means much more than
attending a course and getting a certificate.

And none of this even touches the problem of people claiming credentials for
which they have no basis at all.  I am thinking here of a certain someone,
who shall remain nameless, who travels around the country masquerading as a
"Certified Lactation Consultant" when in fact he (yes, it's a he) has never
passed the IBCLC exam.  He certainly has attended many courses and
conferences, and has many "certificates" of attendance/completion.  Many of
you know of whom I write.  He also claims to have a Master's degree from
Johns Hopkins University, which he does not.



Kathy Dettwyler





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