The more I read about this, the more outraged I am. Here's a very good post from about a year and a half ago: http://lactationlaura.blogspot.com/2010/06/i-b-c-huh.html
In it, she explains that when SHE was a CLC, before continuing on to become an IBCLC, "My CLC course was 5 days and it was made very clear to me
that by itself, it didn't qualify me to go out and counsel as a
profession; it was extra education on the topic of breastfeeding for
those who already worked in the field."
And yet, in the
comments on this very same excellent post, someone writes: "I'm an LPN
and CLC, I took the 5 day course with Healthy Children and we were
explained that a CLC is a counselor, but I was also told *there's no
real difference between the IBCLC and CLC.* We do the same things and
taking the IBCLC might not even be necessary unless a job requires it."
And of course in the link shared here, the author CLEARLY feels that
there is no difference between the two. If your jaw didn't hit the floor
with the above, she writes here [http://www.hearthsidedoulas.com/blog/2011/06/18/Lactation-Guidance-Whats-In-A-Name-Part-II.aspx] that:
"Now, some might think 'Well if the IBCLCs are the trainers, then
aren't THEY the more advanced professional?' Well... No. Remember,
there are those on staff at Healthy Children who aren't IBCLCs and they
still qualify as IBCLC educators. In fact, according to materials
passed out during Healthy Children's CLC training:
There is no hierarchy in lactation credentials. They are all certificates of added knowledge.
We were then told that when we had completed our course, we would be
able to effectively handle 95% of the lactation cases that came our way.
Any cases we could not handle on our own merits would be because a
multi-disciplinary team (ie: neonatologists, pediatricians, etc.) would
be necessary to treat the client."
Note that the author's
rates definitely reflect her belief in her ability to function
independently as a CLC, since she charges $100 for a first visit: http://www.hearthsidedoulas.com/Lactation-Services.html No mention of scope of practice, what "CLC" means, or of referrals.
So it seems to me, based on
the difference between Lactation Laura's experience as a CLC (and a
responsible one) and Hearthside Doula's, Heathly Children at one point
in time WAS crystal clear about scope of practice, and then at some
pointtook a major turn, and is now
telling CLCs that - what, exactly? That IBCLCs are a bunch of chumps who did a lot of extra course work, extensive supervised clinical training, and testing when it's totally not necessary, because their CLC
credential is the completely the same thing, and is sufficient for 95%
of all dyads' issues?
If this is really what Healthy Children
is saying, action needs to be taken. Serious action. This is not a
couple of (to quote Linda Smith, I'm sorry to say) "a few people who
inflate their credentials", this is an entire organization TELLING THEM
that it's fine to do so.
Action needs to be taken as a profession, here. What will ILCA/IBLCE's response be to this other organization COMPLETELY undercutting them? I certainly hope that it's not "Now, now, ladies, hush and play nice." Or telling us to, say, go wash a cat. (I'm sure I just imagined that. No one representing a professional organization could possibly be so dismissive of one of its longest-standing and renowned members in response to a serious crisis.)
- Anne Tegtmeier, student in Birthingway College's Lactation Science degree program, hoping to sit for the IBLCE in 2013 (assuming it still means *anything*)
http://dou-la-la.blogspot.com
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