Vicki,
Congratulations on your graduation and welcome to the discussion.

I have often wondered, and I think you have the perfect background to
answer this:  Before you learned about newborns in nursing school, and
at the beginning of your hospital practice (if you can remember back
that far), how well did you pick up on things like respiratory distress,
reflux, and cardiac problems which first manifested themselves as
breastfeeding problems?

I think many non-nurse IBCLCs are well-qualified to help with
breastfeeding in the hospital, but have often wondered if they would
pick up on things like a soft grunt (kind of a mewing or sing-songy
sound heard with respirations in a baby who is having difficulty
breathing--for non-medical Lactnetters, not for you, Vicki) or a baby
who doesn't want to close is mouth and is breathing a little fast.  I
know these things can be learned by non-nurses, but how many of you
non-nurse LCs were oriented to these kinds of things.  BTW, I know
minimally cross-trained nurses who have trouble picking up on these
signs at first.

Just didn't want you fading back into lurkdom, Vicki.  What do you
think?

Bonnie