"There is no situation in which a mother might need an "RN/IBCLC to
help her breastfeed. If an RN or an MD or a JD or PhD or anyone else
happens to be an IBCLC, then the other credential is not relevant to
breastfeeding. The IBCLC is the only credential ever required to
assist a breastfeeding mother, unless the concern is a medical one. We
have simply got to stop tying the IBCLC credential to the medical
field or we will never be the profession we are meant to be. "

While I understand the sentiment behind the above statement and agree
with it to a degree, I actually have to disagree with it as a whole.

To say that the IBCLC is the only credential ever required completely
ignores the many other peer to peer/mother to mother support people
out there helping on a daily basis.  Not everyone needs to be an IBCLC
to help a mother breastfeed.  And the IBCLC credential is certainly
not required to do so.

In regards to other credentials being relevant or not, I think they
all can add something to the IBCLC's repertoire in helping the mother
to breastfeed and in a variety of different ways.  Breastfeeding isn't
just putting the baby to breast these days - those are the easy cases
many of us wish we could see at least once or twice a year.  Those are
the cases where mothers do not necessarily need an IBCLC to help - A
PC, LLLL, BfUSA BC, CLE, or good friend experienced in nursing can
help just fine.  However, these other credentials lend themselves to
the breastfeeding mother in a myriad of ways that can be very
important to her.  We encompass so much more as IBCLCs these days it
is important, I feel, to recognize what we each have to offer with our
other skills and credentials.

I truly believe there are times when the RN aspect as an IBCLC comes
in VERY handy.  I know there are many times in my own career where
being an RN would have helped me help a mother get the assistance she
needed much faster.  Also, having a bit of a medical background could
certainly help the mother who has special needs that require medical
assistance in relation to breastfeeding.  While I have learned more
medically related stuff than I ever thought possible over the past 18
yrs in the field, I certainly do not have a medical background.

Breastfeeding has become medically entangled due to birth practices,
our need to know about medications and how they may or may not impact
mom and baby; the need to know about hormonal issues in moms with low
milk supply; the need to know about structural issues and how they
affect the baby's ability to suck; the need to know how the nervous
system is affected by those structural issues;  the need to know how
different medical conditions in baby and/or mother may or may not
affect breastfeeding; How gut health may or may not affect milk
supply; how to recognize t-t and how to ensure that ties are properly
revised.  As IBCLCs many of study, research and teach this stuff.
And it is ALL Medically important.  Many of us IBCLCs know more about
these medically important issues than the Medical Profession moms have
to work with in order to help get these things resolved.

The fact that these are ALL medically related issues says to me (at
least) that as much as we may NOT want the IBCLC field to be
medicalized, it already HAS BEEN both out of necessity and by the
IBLCE pulling it that way.  Whether we agree with it or not, I
seriously doubt it will change so I think the key is to not become SO
ingrained into the medical model that we lose sight of what IBCLCs are
primarily all about, what we started off as - helping mothers to
breastfeed and understanding, promoting and assisting others in
knowing what normal breastfeeding is all about.

I would love to see the argument between the 'sides' medical vs
not-medical stop and rather, start embracing what we all have to
offer.  In-fighting is a problem and it shows the world not a very
pretty picture.  I have been privy to many discussions both public and
private over the last year that sadden me - people who just are so set
in their 'place' that they refuse to see what is offered by the 'other
side'.  There truly is a medical ground...  We need, as a profession,
to stop saying this or that is the end all be all of Lactation
anything.  We need to start honoring each others contributions - when
we see that we are lacking in education we need to go look for it.  We
all need to be the best we can be, and work together to help the
mothers - because when it comes right down to it THEY are why we are
all here in this field - to help THEM and the Babies.  So...Let's do
it.

Warmly,
Jaye Simpson, CLE, IBCLC, RLC, CIIM, BC

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