---------- > From: werrell <[log in to unmask]> > To: millie <[log in to unmask]> > Subject: Re: healthcare professionals? > Date: Monday, June 22, 1998 1:53 PM > > Millie, > Effecting change from the outside is always harder than nudging it along > from the inside. In order to get "inside" LC's must become established > respected members of the health care team. I would much rather educate > parents and other healthcare providers to prevent common breastfeeding > problems than deal with the train wrecks that I currently encounter because > of "bad" breastfeeding advice and protocols. So I am working very hard to > become a member of the team. Like I said before if you have the > credentials and expertiese to be a Lactation Consultant be it paid or > unpaid than proudly call yourself one. If you don't have the above call > yourself something else, its that simple. Don't stop helping moms and > trying to change your little corner of the world, there is room under the > tent for all of us to do our part. I am hearing a lot of really defensive > dialogue going on here and fighting amongst our selves only aids the > "enemy" United we stand, divided we fall. however there will always be > levels of expertise and training as there are in most professions. While I > enjoy being the teacher I have not lost sight of the fact that I will > always be a student of this field. Hope this answers your questions. > > Lori Werrell, IBCLC > Leonardtown MD > will be co-chairing the first meeting of the St.Mary's Hospital > Breastfeeding Task Force tomorrow, wish me luck! > ---------- > > From: millie <[log in to unmask]> > > To: > > Subject: healthcare professionals? > > Date: Monday, June 22, 1998 1:01 AM > > > > <Oooo Jay, I touched a nerve there didn't I? Sorry, but if we want to be > > > > accepted as allied health professionals we have to prepare and keep up > > in > > the same ways that they do. We can't have it both ways.> > > I would question that all breastfeeding counselors, even women who pass > > the IBLCE, have a desire to be "allied health professionals." > > <if you choose not to take the exam or charge for services fine but > > respect > > that there are those of us trying very hard to survive in the > > professional > > world and all the confusion about what an LC really is within our own > > field > > doesn't help one bit.> > > What about women who have taken the IBLCE and remain volunteers? Or lay > > midwives who take the IBLCE to better assist their midwifery clients? > > How do these women fall into your ranking? > > As I was becoming a LLLL, I was bothered by the emphasis placed on > > distinctions between members, leader applicants, and leaders. It makes > > me sad to see this same tendency within the lactation consultant > > community--are you a "lactation consultant" or just a lay breastfeeding > > counselor? I wonder if this emphasis on hierarchy is mirroring the > > mainstream medical community? Is this really something we want to > > emulate? We spent over 100 years turning childbirth into a medical > > event, because of those few women who required medical intervention--and > > are just beginning to turn this around. I wonder if acceptance/prestige > > within the medical community should be a major goal of lactation > > professionals? Will this lead to further medicalization of infant > > feeding?. > > I have considered taking the IBLCE, but I have no desire to become an > > allied health professional. I just want to be an expert at > > breastfeeding. > > This is my first post to Lactnet, after lurking for a couple of months. > > I have tried to phrase all this as humbly as I can, so please treat > > lightly in your responses. > > Millie Adelsheim > > http://www.peapods.com > >