Kerrie, you wrote:

"WIC at the state level is not wanting to hire an
IBCLC who is not an RN or a nutritionist, although they would hire an RN
or a nutritionist who is not an IBCLC. I have been an IBCLC for 2 years
now and completed the Blueprints pilot project and I have 3 years of
college education.  WIC at the state level says I'm not a Certified
Professional but they will "think" about hiring me?!"

I left the WIC Program in 1998 in my county in Florida and at that time they
did not have a job description entitled "Lactation Consultant."  Thus my job
(although I was an IBCLC) was entitled WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor
Coordinator.  In my county at that time this job was OPS (contract work only) and
thus I was not entitled to make grievances or to any benefits that career service
employees received through the State.  My understanding from talking to some
people from the WIC Program that there is still no "job description" entitled
lactation consultant in the WIC Program in Florida. (I may be wrong about this
and the situation may have changed)  There are certainly many IBCLCs who work
in the WIC Program in Florida but their job descriptions are named something
else.  Thus I believe that this issue was side-stepped in the Florida WIC
Program by placing IBCLCs under other job descriptions--such as nutritionist, etc.

My replacement in my job did not have my IBCLC credentials and was a
nutritionist. At some point two years ago, my job became vacant again and I discussed
returning to my old job with a supervisor.  The pay being offered was half of
what I made in 1994.  I lost interest.  I could make more money sweeping
floors.

I think there is a lack of recognition of this profession.  If there is no
job description entitled lactation consultant  in the career service manual,
they cannot hire you.  Thus, the choice is to either get the state to create a
job description of lactation consultant (good luck in that endeavor it might
take you a few years) or find another job description to get hired under.  I
think it has nothing to do with your great credentials and everything to do with
this rather ridiculous blindness to our breastfeeding profession.
Valerie W. McClain, breastfeeding advocate

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