I have been very interested in the discussions surrounding the emergence of
lactation consultancy as a profession. However, there has just been some
uneasiness in my mind about the whole issue because of what I have read re:
professionals disempowering their clients.

Probably the situation best understood by those on this list would be how
the medicalisation of childbirth and breastfeeding earlier this (oops I
mean last century) resulted in women feeling and often being disempowered.
There has also been considerable discussion amongst writers about how the
modern education system and educational professionals have disempowered
parents and children.  There are plenty of other examples.

So my question is, what steps are in place to ensure that the emerging
profession of the lactation consultant will empower women and not
disempower women? I can see that LCs will not provide the bad advice
dispensed by those in the medical profession in the 40s to present but is
it possible to provide good breastfeeding advice and yet disempower?

The comparisons between OTs and LCs about the level of education required
by the two groups and the suggestion that to be recognised LCs need to go
the same way made me wonder if it might be throwing the baby out with the
bathwater. How many of the IBCLCs on this list became interested in
breastfeeding after the birth of children? My guess is that it is a fair
percentage (anyone care to comment). How many of those in that situation
would have been able to go back to uni for 5 years full time to get a
qualification? Would making the IBCLC more difficult to achieve rule out a
lot of potentially great LCs. How many young women (and potentially blokes
too I suppose), would come out of high school knowing they want to be a
lactation consultant and be happy to go straight to uni? I just can't
imagine there would be too many but maybe I'm wrong.

I have been thinking for quite some time about about these issues but
haven't posted for fear of flames. These comments and questions are just
things that have been going around in my head. I am not a IBCLC, so I feel
in a way that maybe I shouldn't comment at all. I'm not pointing any
fingers rather I'd like to hear what others think.

Any takers?

Karleen Gribble
Australia
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