> Surely a consultant is someone who is called in when there is a problem, not
> someone who needs to see every breastfeeding woman???

Yes, Lisa, I'd agree with that, but I also think that it will be good for anyone
who has to take care of people with difficulties in otherwise normal functions
to try and see as much as possible of the ''normals'' too. Just to keep in mind
that the ''difficulties'' are away of the norm no matter how much of it you see.
Let me explain with an example. When one is a speech therapist specialised in a
certain speech difficulty one will see children/adults with that problem most of
the day. Perhaps there are more boys than girls in that practise, which might
lead one to think that this ''specialty'' is linked to being a boy. But this
would leave out of consideration all the boys out there without this speech
problem as well as possible girls out there who do have this particular problem,
but don't go to the therapist. Similarly I might get the idea that all newborns
have latch problems (or fill in whatever problem you wish) if I only see
newborns with latch problems, but not the ones that do just as they are supposed
to at the breast.
But I agree, that not all newborns need to be seen by a LC as long as the nurses
are trained well in primairy breastfeeding care.

Gonneke van Veldhuizen, IBCLC, Maaseik, Belgium
http://www.users.skynet.be/eurolac
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