Johanna raises an issue that is near-and-dear to us private practitioners. Mothers seeking consults by phone or e-mail present honest challenges. It is difficult to assess what one cannot see. But as professionals who earn a living by charging fees for our professional expertise, these calls are truly "risky business" since Mom often wants the advice for free. I have a standard message I send when I receive inquiries by e-mail. I paraphrase it when Mom is on the phone. Please freely use and adapt this language to suit your needs. "Thank you for your e-mail regarding your [BF issue]. "The ethics of my profession, and my business practices as a private practitioner, require that you be a client of mine before I discuss your specific situation. Moms I see as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) sign a consent form, to show they understand that I will send a report to their health care provider after the visit, and that they will pay me for the time I spend in consultation and follow-up. "I suggest you schedule a consult with an IBCLC in your area. (I live in Wyndmoor, PA, just outside Philadelphia.) Discuss beforehand the fees for a home visit or a telephone consultation, and insurance coverage (if any). You can visit the International Lactation Consultant Association website at www.ilca.org, and click the button for “Find a Lactation Consultant.” If you feel your needs can be met by a mother-to-mother counselor, you can find a La Leche League Leader near you by calling 1-800-LaLecheUS." Liz Brooks, JD, IBCLC Wyndmoor, PA, USA *********************************************** 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