The root meaning of the word 'sarcasm' is:  to tear the flesh. When
discussions begin to take this tone, they cease to be constructive.

 I believe that we need to acknowledge that as a profession, we practice in
a variety of settings.  I work with train wreck disaster cases where
everything that can go wrong with breastfeeding HAS gone wrong. In many
cases, these disasters arise not from mismanagement but because the mother
or baby or both are sick or injured.  My job is to try to work backwards
from disaster and help move a mother and baby back to normal (defined for
our species, as baby feeding at the breast).  This is always my goal (though
not always the mother's) and in concert with her, I do my best.  I have good
success, and my outcomes in these high risk cases are excellent -- I know
because I take responsibility to monitor them.  I couldn't function in the
cases I follow without equipment, and in some cases we need to imploy
medications and even formula.  I do need to know about the tools of my trade
so I can make decisions that do no harm as I attempt to return these babies
to normal.  I feel judged and condemed when I hear people take sarcastic
tones and imply that with a bit of hand expression and a better attitude I
could do my job more ethically.

Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd, IBCLC
Austin Lactation Associates
http://www.lactnews.com

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