People who want to help bf moms or participate in bf advocacy do not need an
ibclc credential. This comes up periodically on lactnet. Lactnet is not
strictly for the ibclc and never has been so I hope everyone will stay on
and participate, don't go back to lurking. From the IBLCE brochure: "IBCLCs
are allied health care providers who, by meeting eligibility requirements
and certifying..., possess the necessary skills, knowledge, attitudes to
facilitate bf..."
Not everyone wants to be or needs to be a "health care provider". Just want
to point out that even volunteer counselors have a training and mentoring to
go thru (not experienced directly with this but this is my understanding),
an expected knowledge base, a professional hierarchy to go thru when help is
needed, and ethics etc. This is in place, I would assume, to assure a
certain level of care and to protect the public. This is very similar to
ibclcs having a bf curriculum, minimum competencies, a board, etc. to
protect the public. This is not a flame however I want to point out that if
one is being paid in eggs or having one's house painted that is still being
paid for one's services. This is called bartering, and I would accept this
if a person could not pay me in dollar bills. I have heard of many ibclc's
that do the same.

Laurie Wheeler, IBCLC, MN, RN
Violet Louisiana, s.e. USA


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