Mary-Jane I think what the course involves and entails is more important than the credentials/initials you receive after taking the class. I took an amazing lactation educator program and felt that that prepared me very well for the work I do (teach prenatal classes), but another colleague of mine took a CLC class and she felt she didn't get much out of it because it didn't really go beyond the training she already has as a postpartum doula. She's already said she isn't going to bother to recertify with that same organization. Thinking of my certification as a childbirth educator, some trainings are more rigorous and help prepare you more for the work you will do after the training. Others require the participants to do the minimal amount of work to get the credentials. The husband of one of my CBE friends took the "certification exam" offered by a regional childbirth education certification program and he passed. Now that either says he pays very close attention to the work his wife does :) or the certification was too easy. Laura Mundt, MA, ICCE Portland, OR *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(R) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html