I have been lurking on Lactnet and learning from Lactnet for over a year 
now.  I am in awe of so many of you and my dream has always been to one 
day BE one of you (so to speak).  I have been following the Scope of 
Practice posts very closely as the outcome will determine whether or not I 
bother to try to obtain an IBCLC license.  So many of you post so 
eloquently and say what I am thinking before the response is fully formed 
in my head!  

Betsy Riedel asks this question:

  If each LC is giving evidence based information which happens to
> contradict the physician (whose bogus information is wrong and  
> therefore NOT evidence based) the onus is on the PHYSICIAN to produce  
> evidence to support his information. What are some of you so afraid of 
in this case?

I have to ask, are you reading the same S of P that the rest of the 
Lactnet community has read?  Because it states very clearly that if the 
information being given happens to contradict the HCP, the LC CANNOT 
contradict the HCP and therefore cannot give the information.  I see no 
other interpretation and even though I am "only" a LLLL with no formal 
education or training outside of LLL, it seems that the majority of the 
Lactnet community has interpreted the SofP to mean this as well.  

Betsy Riedel also asks if IBCLE might be trying to "weed out".  I suppose 
you mean to get rid of those with "undesirable" credentials, such as 15 
years as a LLLL, or a Bachelors degree in a loosely related subject.  If 
that is true, then I fear for the future of lactation.  This world needs 
more RN's and MD's with IBCLC, there is no arguing that.  This world also 
needs more IBCLC's, period.  And more IBCLC's whose original training is 
outside of the clinical variety offer a different perspective to both the 
mother/baby and to the medical community.  An IBCLC who has the initials 
because it enabled a broader employability as an RN or an additional 
marketability as an MD is great.  An IBCLC who lives and breaths lactation 
because it is their passion and a driving force in their life deserves at 
least as much respect as an MD or RN IBCLC. 

I have always thought IBCLC pathways were skewed towards medical 
credentials.  I was excited to hear there may be a lesser credential 
offered along the way to becoming a fully certified IBCLC.  But unless the 
S of P is broadened greatly, I remain more empowered as a volunteer LLLL 
than as an expensively credentialed LC.  I know that the S of P is being 
reviewed and look forward to hearing the outcome as it will determine the 
direction my life takes in the near future.  

Jennifer Papworth
LLLL 

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