Magda says:
> Just a note here, that if you want the IBCLC to be an international
> credential, it might be of interest to consider the paths in other
countries.
> Please be careful that this debate does not become 'US only' -- if there
is any
>desire for the 'I' in 'IBCLC' to have meaning.

This thread has been very intersting and I have resisted joining in as most
points seem to have been covered.  But I want to add my support to Magda as
I feel strongly that the "I" is often forgotten.  I am a hybrid, but would
prefer to be able to use my IBCLC credential on it's own.  For health
insurance reimbursement as a private practitioner I need to use my RN/RM
credential.  With only 13 IBCLCs in the country this will not change for a
while!

As a nurse and midwife I have had to unlearn many practices and attitudes to
be able to effectively help mothers and babies.  (Hands-on vs hands-off
etc.)  Even though I have happily breastfed my own children as have many of
my friends, my nurse-brain keeps looking for problems that aren't there.  I
have to keep telling myself that breastfeeding is designed to work!  Maybe
the prevailing attitude here has something to do with this!?

RNs deal with sick "patients".  Midwives deal with (mostly) healthy mothers
and babies.  Making the switch from pathology to "normal" is not easy, so
for this reason I welcome the move in some countries to train midwives
without any previous nursing experience.  The very best IBCLC I know has no
medical background.  She is so well versed in what is *normal* that picking
up anything in the mother or baby that may be cause for concern is
relativley easy.  What I really value about this fledgling profession of
ours is the richness brought by our different backgrounds.

Jean Ridler  (Private Practice)  RN  RM  IBCLC  Childbirth Educator
LLLLeader, Cape Town, South Africa  [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(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html