Re: lactation professionals - licensure?

[Guest guest]

Thank you for mentioning a very important topic -- good supervision.

This is something that IS often hard to find. I was lucky in that there was a

structured course when I started out and a program for supervision with two

IBCLCs. This was helpful -- but again being self-referrential, these two IBCLCs

had not been participating among the larger group of IBCLCs for a while. I

think it is very important for experienced IBCLCs to go to the larger

conferences such as the USLCA/ILCA and the Private Practices conferences at

least every five years. We've been doing a lot of conferences and workshops

here in New York City, but I feel the need now that I'm sitting for the exam to

start back into the USLCA/ILCA conferences even though I find it expensive.

And I also want to make it clear that there ARE many great CLCs who become

IBCLCs and all sorts of other professions who really take their training

seriously. Fortunately, there are more of them than those who skimp on the

hours and don't listen to others.

In the last three years one of our IBCLCs has started a Mentorship program

whereby those who want to become IBCLCs can rotate through with many different

IBCLCs. I did not do this and several of my colleagues did. I think they had

the better experience because they got to see a variety of styles and adapt

their experiences accordingly. I feel I played catch up by only following two

IBCLCs. I think spreading the training around is helpful for both the IBCLC

mentors and the students. I know in terms of supervision, I need to up the ante

and start being more structured. I've had several students who came with a lot

of training already. It is much easier because you can relax and provide much

more informal advice when they already have substantial skills. When you are

just starting, however, I think it is easier to work within a structure. I

liken it to how I feel when my Martial Arts instructor urges us to use

creativity when we are sparring. I don't feel like I have the basic skills down

yet to improvise -- I still need the structure. I think that's why I dropped

out of ballet at age 6 or 7. The instructor wanted us to do improv and I just

would stand there not knowing what to do. It was too intimidating. I would

have benefited with structure. Once you get good, you realize that structure

can be restrictive and begin to realize how to adapt and stretch the structure

to accommodate specific situations.

Even with the mentorship program we've had on intern or two go rogue -- or not

necessarily rogue -- just don't listen, chaffe at restraints, want to see

clients before they are ready -- and think they know it all. Sort of like my 12

year old son. Parents are soooooooooo stupid at age 12. Your parents tend to

appear to be smarter as you get older and make your own mistakes.

Best regards,

E. Burger, MHS, PhD, IBCLC