Recently I've received several private e-mails from people wanting a source
for clinical photos or slides from which to study for the IBLCE exam. And
I've seen similar requests here on Lactnet.

This is NOT the way to go about preparing!! Future IBCLCs are supposed to
learn about different breasts by working with breastfeeding women, not from
looking at someone else's photos or slides. The exam's requirement of 2500
hours of contact with breastfeeding dyads is supposed to provide candidates
with this experience. The breastfeeding dyad is more than the sum of its
parts, and the idea is to learn from the MOTHERS and BABIES themselves.
Within the 2500 hours, you're going to see lots of normal and some abnormal.
Knowing normal from abnormal is absolutely critical!

Instead of looking for photos or slides, go see normal breastfeeding mothers
and babies. Attend breastfeeding support groups like La Leche League or
NMAA. Volunteer at a public health and/or WIC clinic. Accompany another LC
as she makes rounds or does home visits. Listen to the mothers. Watch the
babies. Then listen to the mothers some more. Expect to take TIME to do
this. There is no appropriate shortcut, IMHO.

Breastfeeding got messed up when people started telling BF mothers what
"should" be instead of listening to them and supporting them. The collective
"we" of the health care community failed to recognize and study NORMAL
breastfeeding for long (normal) lengths of time measured in years, not
months. Lots of BF still gets messed up by people who don't understand
normal BF - we see the posts here on Lactnet all the time. Of course LCs
need to know abnormal - but they also absolutely MUST understand "normal" -
deeply, thoroughly and sensitively!

Climbing down now, a little breathless.....

Linda J. Smith, BSE, FACCE, IBCLC
Bright Future Lactation Resource Centre
Dayton, OH USA
http://www.bflrc.com