Linda, what I think I hear you saying is that IBCLC's don't need to be RNs,
and RNs don't need to be IBCLCs; but that there are some particular jobs that
are best done by a person with both sets of qualifications.

Makes sense to me.

I recently gave two different names of LCs to a mother whose problems
required a higher level of technical bf expertise than I could provide.  I
told her that although both are smart, knowledgeable, and excellent
technically, the one who is a parent and long-time LLLL would probably suit
THIS MOM's needs better if she were available, because THIS JOB needed good
hand-holding and sympathy skills in addition to fundamental lactation
knowledge.

think that's the same as what Linda is saying about the home-visiting LCs in
her program -- they need LC expertise per se, plus they will do a better job
in their particular circumstances if they also have something else (in my
case mom-knowledge, in her case nursing knowledge) as well.

The nice thing about having different kinds of LCs, with different
supplementary backgrounds, is that it gives us a range of this sort of
combinations to choose from in the different contexts in which this normal,
part-of-life activity of bf falls.

Elisheva Urbas, NYC

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