Now this is where I get a bit fuzzy.  This is making the assumption that as a LLLL our skills stay static – we never learn anything new.  I have been a leader for about 19 years and an IBCLC for 7.  My co-leader has been a leader for about as long as I have.  While I have done extra study and such (wanting to be an IBCLC) we are pretty close on skill level at meetings.  We both will tell mom what to look for to check if her baby has tt and ways to tell if ‘yeast’ is really yeast or raynaud’s, or skin problem or whatever, and help with positioning.  Some newer leaders may need a bit of time to read a reference or such to help with a problem that my co-leader and/or I could understand a bit quicker.

It reminds me of a conference I was at for childbirth educators and a session about lactation help (given by long time LLL Chele Marmet) she told the group about referring moms to LLL.  You never know if they are calling a Leader with her first phone call or a Leader who has doing this for 20 years – so don’t be afraid to call back or call a different leader you can be getting different skill sets.  It doesn’t mean as a Leader we are not allowed to learn or to say I think I saw something like this before. . .

Just a bit of a bug in my bonnet so to speak.  Even if a Leader stays only a leader she could be using may types of skills gained from years of working with moms and babies.

Felicia Henry, BCCE, IBCLC & while not put on often LLLL
Oxnard, CA

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