I find it interesting that some IBCLCs are not allowed priviledges in the hospital because they aren't on staff or are not a nurse or whatever. Where is this happening? I had a private practice here some years ago and was allowed in two of the hospitals when request was made by patient, nursing staff, or physician. My priviledges were granted after my request at one hospital and after a physician requested it at another. However, after one of the hospitals started their own lactation center, I no longer went there. My practice moved to the hospital that now employs me. As a private practitioner, I did not like seeing inpatients since they were often too overwhelmed to learn much on the first go-around and since the majority of my no pays came from inpatients. As a private practitioner, I preferred to see mothers sometime after discharge but during the first week or so. They were able to understand care plan options better and they were more likely to pay for the lactation services. A private practioner may best be served by having cards or brochures available in the hospital to be given to BF mothers and having the same available in physician offices and in childbirth classes. Pardee H. Hinson, MPH, IBCLC Charlotte, NC