Our community has a similar situation to the one described by the anonymous
poster. The hospitals have their own LC, and also refer people to LLL (now
they do at least...it took five years to convince them to put our LLL
meeting notice in discharge packs!). There is one local IBCLC LC (and two
in nearby communities). I don't know the hospital's policy, but we work
closely with this LC, who attended our LLL meetings for years while she was
studying. When a mother calls who needs hands-on attention or is in a very
complicated situation that would benefit from someone with nursing school
experience and coursework in lactation, I give them the LC's phone number,
and explain that the money will be well worth it, and save them time and
worry. (She also rents pumps and sells breastfeeding aids (SNS), and we
refer to her before the hospital supply stores because she gives in-home
instruction, which we feel encourages mothers to breastfeed more
successfully.)
I would recommend to the anonymous poster that she befriend the LLL
Leaders. Even if they are highly knowledgeable, they are human and can't
know *everything*, and would benefit from a highly trained colleague such
as herself. I think if breastfeeding help is not seen as a competition, but
as a group effort to help mothers breastfeed, the LLLLs will be happy to
refer cases that would benefit from the LC's experience to her. It is
WORTH money to be helped by a professional--LLL Leaders can only provide
information, not give advice--we need to have LCs available who can tell
mothers what to do in an authoritative way when that is needed.
An LLL who likes LC just fine,
Sue Ann Kendall
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Sue Ann Kendall, Kynan and Declan's mother, editor, La Leche League Leader
LLLI World Wide Web Coord., LLL of Ill. Dist. Advisor, Champaign, IL USA
East Central Illinois Breastfeeding Promotion Task Force Chair, 1995-6
Co-List Maintainer, La Leche Leaders On Line ([log in to unmask])
[log in to unmask] LLLI WEB SITE: http://www.prairienet.org/llli/
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