This has been a  pet peeve of mine for years!!! When it became fashionable
for hospital's to have an LC in my area, many hospitals simply assigned
someone the role. Then they would advertise that they had an LC on staff to
draw  maternity patients. Sometimes the person was a good choice but most of
the time it was not. The choice of a hospital's LC was in the hands of their
administration. So I went on an educational rampage. I taught childbirth
class students what to look for in an LC, certification, training etc. I made
up a generic handout called "What Is a Lactation Consultant" and distrubuted
it in classes and physician's offices. This teaching cost me a contract with
a major hospital that at the time was a major part of my family's income.
 Looking back now, it was all worth it. Consumer pressure forced the
hospitals to either train and certify their choice or hire someone who was
better qualified.