Personally, I have found the Acacdemy's protocols to be of a tremendous help to me in getting policies changed and getting my physician colleagues "up to snuff" so to speak as far as becoming more knowledgable in the area of breastfeeding.I was especially pleased when I finally had access to the hypoglycemia protocol. Of course it was also wonderful that one of our local Connecticut physicians was one of the authors of that document (Kathleen Marinelli at Connecticut Childrens Medical Center). Why shouldn't physicians have their own organization? If they feel more comfortable, get good information, and their practice changes for the better, who cares? It is a benefit to our mothers anad babies. As Nancy Wight said, breastfeeding is not just the province of IBCLC's. I am very pleased to have one of those physicians who practices "breastfeeding medicine" right here in Connecticut. I have referred to her on many occasions and I find her to be receptive to me as a nurse and as an IBCLC as well. Just because her practice is labeled as "breastfeeeding medicine" does NOT mean that she has medicalized breastfeeding. It means "one stop shopping" for someone with breastfeeding difficulties. Like it or not, there are many breastfeeding issues that are out of my scope of practice;either as an RN or an IBCLC and I am glad to have the rapport with physicians who will cover me and compliment my practice. I have noticed the greatest change in the management of tongue tie. We always had the same ENT's here (in my 18 years at my hospital), but with new (pediatrician) physicians and my continued push, we are seeing a lot of clipping.Just the other afternoon, the ENT came to seek me out (before she even looked for the physician or mother/baby)to ask if I had evaluated the tie and what did I think? Clearly, we are making inroads. As far as contradicting and/or questioning physicians, that is a big part of my role as an RN and a patient advocate as well. I do that a lot! That role did not change when I became an IBCLC. (I do that as a childbirth educator as well). If anything, it enhanced my role and gave me a leg up over many of the physicians. I feel that we compliment each other and I feel proud when the OB's call me and ask me for "that thrush protocol you told me about" and they then prescribe based on the information I give them.I am referring to Jack Newman's thrush information on prescribing. I think much has to do with how we present ourselves and I am not foolish enough to think that there are not some doctors out there who are impossible to work with. WE all know that. There are probably some LC's out there as well who are difficult. There are those in every field and we are not going to get every physician to jump on board. We have to do the best we can with what we are given. Does it bother me that there are "physician only" organizations? No, it does not because those speakers (for instance) that were present at the last ABM conference (Dr.Ruth Lawrence to be exact)have spoken at other lactation conferences that are open to all of us non-MD LC's. In fact, Dr. Lawrence will be one of the keynote speakers at the International Conference on the Theory and Practice of Human Research and Breastfeeding Management that will be held (as it always in)in Orlando in January. I'll be there to learn what I can regardless of who else is there and who the speakers are. While I will agree that some parts of this new SOP are poorly written and/or vague, I think the intent was good. I am sure that the IBLCE was attempting to protect itself (and all of us) from incompetent practitioners and resulting litigations. There are incompetent practitioners in every field (medicine, nursing and lactation consulting included). I still firmly believe (as Laurie has pointed out again)that much has to do with how we say what we say. I still maintain that some of us have advantages that others of us don't have. That probably isn't likely to change quickly. I am never going to have the clout a physician has(and frankly I don't want it)and those in lactation without the "another certification or licensure" may, indeed, have the hands tied. That's life. As Dr. Wight said, we WANT physicians on our side and if the ABM can disseminate the proper information to doctors and educate them, then that is wonderful! We need more physicians who practice "breastfeeding medicine" as it were. If this practice leads to more babies being breastfed, then so much the better.I don't think the general public would think the term "breastfeeding medicine" meant that breastfeeding was being medicalized. That's just semantics and the only ones who have picked up on this are lactation professionals who are offended by the latest SOP. Let's take a step back, take a deep breath, and see what comes of this and while we're at it, let's keep helping those mothers and babies who need us so much! Betsy Riedel RNC, IBCLC (and proud of it just the same) Connecticut *********************************************** 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