IBCLC Carol Chamblin has built a thriving private practice: Breast 'N Baby Lactation Services. Carol offers in-hospital and in-home consultations to new mothers. She has expanded her practice to include support groups to address other issues that many mothers struggle with, including feelings of isolation, questions about parenting styles and returning to work. She also offers infant massage classes for parents, an excellent way to keep in touch with families and help them to stay in touch with each other quite literally!

As quoted in a recent article in the Kane County Chronicle of Geneva, IL, Carol states, "I see this as a resource to empower women and help them make choices. So much information gets shared here just through moms interacting with other moms. We talk about sleep and baby development and many other things." The article about Carol's practice, written by a former client and present-day fan, appeared in the business section of her local newspaper. Carol reports that everyone in town is talking about the article, much to the consternation of her preteen daughter!

Sue Saunders is an IBCLC with a nursing and midwifery background who left Western Australian in 1993. Since becoming an IBCLC in 1989, Sue's work has specialized in lactation in a variety of settings and countries. She was part of the first partnership private practice with Shaughn Leach in Western Australia 1989-1993. She has worked to educate health care professionals of all disciplines from 1989 to present. She established the first private practice for consultations in Kent, England 1993-2000. In 2000 Sue was employed by the National Health Service (NHS) Trust as the first IBCLC, non registered midwife in England, working across two hospitals and all departments and breastfeeding drop-in centers 2000-2001. She also served in a volunteer capacity as an IBCLC in a low socioeconomic hospital in French-speaking Gabon , West Africa 2001-2003. She returned to the NHS Trust in Kent 2003, where she is at present. Sue's focus has always been on educating staff and helping mothers with difficult breastfeeding problems, but admits that being a specialist can be a problem since she hasn't seen any 'normal' breastfeeding since 1989!

Virginia Thorley, a long-time ILCA member and former member of the Board of Directors (1999-2002), has accepted an appointment for another three-year term as a member of the International Advisory Council of the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action (WABA). Her new term runs from 1 January 2005 to 31 December 2007.

Virginia, an Australian, was initially appointed to WABA's International Advisory Council in 1999. She certified IBCLC in the original cohort in 1985, is in private practice in Brisbane, Queensland, and is currently completing her PhD at the University of Queensland.

Chris Mulford and Kay Hoover have reached out to a new audience. They recently did a lunchtime presentation about breastfeeding to the Philadelphia Coalition Against Hunger in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. The two IBCLCs had three objectives for the presentation:

• to meet the volunteer workers and learn what they think about breastfeeding
• to tell them about breastfeeding resources for parents who participate in their programs
• to encourage them to apply for mini-grants from the Department of Health as part of the Pennsylvania Breastfeeding Awareness and Support Program.

Chis and Kay offered to put the group in touch with local IBCLCs to help them design and carry out a project, and also suggested that they write payment for such consultation into the grant. Hunger is a major issue, worldwide. ILCA members Kay Hoover and Chris Mulford are to be applauded for acting locally to bring breastfeeding into the discussion and adding IBCLCs to the team of people working on solutions.

Frustrated by the dearth of lactation services for low-income mothers and struck by the need for clinical opportunities for aspiring IBCLCs, members Colette Acker and Debi Page Ferrarello opened a non-profit community-based lactation center. ILCA member Rachelle Lessen serves as the President of the center's Board of Directors. Now open two years, over one thousand mothers and babies have found their way to the warm and welcoming Breastfeeding Resource Center (BRC). A sliding scale makes the services of an IBCLC accessible to all.

The BRC's first intern, Ronnie Tal, plans to sit for the certifying exam this July, after completing 500 hours of consultation under the supervision of Colette and Debi. Students from the University of Pennsylvania and Arcadia University have come to observe, and local health care providers frequently call for answers to their breastfeeding-related questions. Intrigued? Acker and Ferrarello will be presenting a session about opening a nonprofit center at this summer's ILCA Conference and Annual Meeting in Chicago, Illinois, USA.

Diana West, IBCLC, There is great interest in the relatively new field of lactation consultation about fees charged by colleagues in varying geographic areas. When the topic has been discussed, both online and privately, concern has been expressed that discussing it could be considered 'collusion', which violates US antitrust laws protecting fair competition.

ILCA Member Diana West, an IBCLC in private practice, decided to get to the bottom of the matter. She took advantage of the free service offered by the US Department of Justice Antitrust Division. They provide legal advice to individuals or organizations who are considering a specific business activity and are uncertain if the activity falls within the boundaries of US antitrust law. In order to present a survey that meets the guidelines as fully as possible, she researched the parameters of professional surveys established by the Antitrust Division in other rulings. Shen then designed a survey that would conform to those specifications. As the data in the survey must be three months old before it can be published, the results of Diana's survey are likely to be available in early 2005. At this time, the scope of the survey is US lactation consultants in private practice.

The fee survey has far-reaching potential for IBCLCs. First, it is formal recognition by a governmental entity of the lactation profession. And, second, it provides a means of collecting information that can be used by the insurance industry to cover IBCLC fees, both within and outside of the US. Thank you, Diana, for taking this step for our profession!

Suzanne Cox, of Rose Bay, Tasmania, has been awarded the prestigious Order of Australia in recognition of service to community health, particularly as a lactation consultant, educator and counselor for the care of breastfeeding mothers and their babies. Suzanne is a long-standing active member of ILCA.

Ruth Cantrill, IBCLC, and several of her Griffith University colleagues, won the Mary Paton Research Award. The award, named for the founder of the Australian Breastfeeding Association, is given by the Association and sponsored by the Victorian College of Lactation Consultants for research related to breastfeeding and lactation relevant to practice in Australia. Cantrill and her associates researched midwives' knowledge of the importance of skin-to-skin contact after birth and until baby's first attachment at breast.

ILCA members are making a difference in their communities all over the world. Member Spotlight is the place to share pride in the accomplishments and contributions of our members. Do you know of an ILCA member who is making a difference? Tell us about it. Send your story and, if possible, a photo to the website editor Natalie Porterfield at natalieporterfield@ilca.org

Remember, ILCA is YOU!