Good Morning All!

Barbara Wilson-Clay said that LC's have libraries in their heads and that we
need to keep the information about BF circulating.  Seems to me that this is
how it was done many years ago, before ABM became all the rage.  We lost our
BF skills due to *Progress*, now because that *Progress* has damaged so many
lives and because we are getting our brains back about what is really best
for our babies, we have to develop these skills all over again.
Some of us may feel the need to charge apprentices, some may not.  Yes, MDs,
RNs etc paid a lot of money to get their education,  and some may say that
LCs2B should also.  If you look at the lack of classes and seminars for BF
and what one has to do to get to a BF training (tutition, materials, airfare,
hotel costs etc. ) then we pay a lot too.  Those who are REALLY interested in
getting a good education will go the extra mile, and spend the extra $ to get
the better education.  As far as I know, there aren't any classes in the
local colleges specifically about BF.  There are classes on Maternal and
Child Health, but nothing like you get by watching a REAL consult, helping
REAL moms, taking REAL courses given by IBCLCs or mentoring with an IBCLC.  I
think we pay our dues, so to speak, in different ways.  We are aways learning
something new in this field.  My mentor Karen Evon, IBCLC, who has been in
this field for 25+ years says she learns something new all the time.  In
fact, when she was helping me with my BF, she didn't even charge me for the
majority of her time because my case was one she hadn't dealt with before and
she learned things that she has been able to use since.  She sat in on my
consult with Chele Marmet, where we both learned.  I think it is entirely
possible for an apprentice to teach her mentor a new thing or two simply
because the apprentice is looking at situations with an open view to all
possibilities.
Mentors are hard to come by, and when you find a good one, like I have, you
want to hold on to her.  If I had to pay my mentor in order to learn from her
I would, if I had the money.  Since I don't, I'm very lucky that I don't have
to pay. :)
I've learned a lot from Karen and from you here on Lactnet.  This forum is
like a 'Mentor' of sorts to many of us.  I wish we could count hours on
Lactnet as hours towards the exam!  :)   Those of you who do mentor, just
think of the wonderful gift you are giving to your students!  You are giving
them something they can't get anywhere else; an Education in history and an
education in an art that was left behind.  Keep on mentoring those
apprentices, whether you charge for the time or not,  because it is a
valuable thing you are doing!

Jay
LC2B!  (with a host of great mentors!)