I just downloaded the new Scope of Practice from IBLCE which evidently was posted today -- it wasn't there yesterday, I looked. I'll be interested in what y'all think of it. This is the part I find worthy of discussion: The following activities are outside the scope of practice of an IBCLC: --- Prescribing or recommending the use of alternative therapies. My comment: what is an alternative therapy? An alternative to what? Allopathic medicine? Are we talking herbs? CST? OT? RPS? (Hmm, Jean, wonder if RPS is an alternative therapy?) Infant massage? Cabbage? Oatmeal? Ice? Cold? (for engorgement -- is one an alternative to the other? Are either an alternative?) And, by the way, I find the use of the term "many mothers have found..." to be just as "recommending" as "I suggest taking ibuprophen for your mastitis instead of tylenol because of the antiinflammatory effects" --- Contradicting or ignoring the advice of a client's health care provider. My comment: Well, well, well. The HCP tells the client to pump and dump for 10 days for use of Amoxcillin. Now, you don't want to contradict her -- but the advice in Hale WILL contradict her. What to do? How about the advice to wean because the baby is lactose intolerant? --- Performing surgery or instructing others in how to perform an invasive procedure. My comment: Heaven forbid we should tell a physician how to use a sterile needle to open a blocked nipple pore. Let 'em figure it out on their own. It isn't in our scope of practice. That means you can't instruct them on how to clip a frenulum either. Most of the rest of it is bland enough, though I'd love to know how to "develop and implement a lactation management or care plan [sic]" without being able to recommend the use of appropriate galactogogues or hydrogels for sore nipples (alternative therapy? Or is this medication? I'm not sure). You are to provide evidence based information regarding the mother's use of medications (OTC & prescription) while lactating: impact on mother's milk supply. Evidently you aren't required to tell her the potential effect on the infant, though you are to do that with alternative therapies. Interesting that it has taken over 20 years for IBLCE to develop this scope of practice. I wonder why so long. Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC _Lactation Education Consultants_ (http://www.lactationeducationconsultants.com/) *********************************************** 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 email list is powered by LISTSERV (R). There is only one LISTSERV. To learn more, visit: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html