Re: Holistic practices

[Guest guest]

(Dee--I emailed you privately)

,

Well, how ethical is it to tell a mom to use ibuprofen or any other OTC med for pain? OTC meds need no script and anyone can recommend them, but they are far from harmless. They suppress symptoms and do not heal. Arnica for pain heals deeply and has no side effects. For me, it would be unethical to suggest something I know is harmful.

I personally have not taken a medication in 23 years with the exception of one course of abx 13 years ago for a severe uterine infection, nor have I ever given my children abx or tylenol or anything else for that matter (my eldest is 20). I have studied homeopathy, herbalism, nutrition and energy medicine formally and informally for 23 years, so my knowledge is very extensive. I am certified in The Reconnection, Pranic Healing and Past Life Regression Therapy.

But, I think it would be a simple thing for LCs to learn basic holistic therapies and incorporate them into their practices. I think I mentioned that I teach a series for parents--in the first, I teach the use of home remedies for basic imbalances, such as coughs, colds, digestive problems, minor injuries, ear aches, etc. I teach the foundation of homeopathy, first aid remedies, hydrotherapy, some herbs and supplements, etc. It is a 6 hour course and parents learn a lot about self-care. The second workshop is nutrition--which is the foundation of all health--and I do not teach "moderation in all things" by any stretch of the imagination. It's pretty in-depth--again 6 hours. The last is energy medicine--intros to homeopathy, Bach Flowers, EFT, TAT, intuition, energy healing--6 more hours. While I know about more complex things, that is not what I am teaching in these workshops and even with only these, a mother can feel so empowered.

I do not consider it ethical, for example, to a send a mother with mastitis off to her doc to get abx and risk more feeding problems (including allergies from the damage to her gut), when I can tell her than phytolacca, belladonna or hepar sulph in probably 100% of the moms I've suggested them to have cured the mastitis within 24-48 hours. One of the benefits is that healing is so fast, so mom can always get the abx quickly if still needed, but I am serious when I say we never need them.

I do not think I so much promote holistic practices (I do not refer to them as complimentary or alternative, ever) so much as I just treat them as normal, like feeding at breast is normal or having babies at home is normal. I also do not use "creative wording". I tell the moms what I find works with my clients and that they are free to seek different information elsewhere. Why in the world would I send a mother to her PCP to discuss homeopathy???? There are no side effects and the PCP will have no idea what it is or say it doesn't work. I never tell her not to talk about it either. By the same token, when I send a mom for a galatogogue tea I do not tell her to discuss it with anyone, but I do not tell her not to either. When I talk to her doc, I will say that I have told he to use galactogogues. As a fact, not in seeking approval. Why would a mother come and see me if she doesn't need my expertise? If her PCP could have helped her, I am sure he would have done so. I do not think that is arrogant--I assume mothers are paying me for all of what I know, not just part of what I know.

I also work a lot with other holistic practitioners. Most of my babies get CST from a chiropractor. Many end up seeing a naturopath, esp if their babies have food allergies. Many see a homeopath. I find that parents want this information and are very open to learning, especially when they are new parents. The other thing is that I tell parents from the start that I practice holistically and that some of the things I suggest might not be familiar to them and they are free to use them or not. I will, of course, help them either way. I also tend to email a lot of info for my clients to read about practices I suggest, so they can learn more. Also, b/c I run a group for my moms (free), they find themselves around other moms using similar things.

I think the reason I have so many good outcomes is that I assume that the mother is coming to me to help her bf, not to get ideas to discuss with someone else who doesn't know how to help her bf. I assume she is an intelligent person who can decide what she wants to do, what she is comfortable doing and who she needs to talk to about it. I do not go beyond my own skill set---if I need someone else, I find that person. Fortunately, I have some good friends who are doctors of whom I can ask medical questions. I also have access to friends who are nutritionists, herbalists, chiropractors and homeopaths. But, honestly, how many people suggesting OTC meds know anything about the biochemical nature of those meds within the body. I understand homeopathy, the herbs I use, the supplements I use, the foods I use. How many people suggesting OTC meds or referring for abx or other drugs understand them and their risks?

In my version of the perfect world, there would be no need for IBCLCs, b/c everyone would breastfeed and babies would be born at home. In my getting closer to my perfect world vision, IBCLCs, would ourselves be "mother-friendly" and "baby-friendy" practitioners, which means we would be educated as holistic practitioners. I cannot see how it is mother-friendly to NOT prevent a mother from being exposed to all of the risks of abx or reglan or diflucan. I cannot see how it is baby-friendly to NOT be able to recognize and heal food allergies, structural misalignments, tongue-ties or birth trauma. I have no desire to be part of one more medicalized profession that preserves itself while sacrificing babies.

Tow, IBCLC, CT, USA

Intuitive Parenting Network LLC

I am glad this thread came up because I have some questions!

First I just want to say that I am thrilled to see Tow on this

board too. , whenever you post to Lactnet I always love what you

have to say so I am happy to see you in this forum too.

My question is one about ethics and promoting alternative remedies/healing

methods, etc. I have a passion for herbs, homeopathy and various other types

of natural healing. I am planning to sit for the 2009 exam and so of course

I am reviewing the code of ethics currently. I am wondering how some of you

implement alternative medicine into your IBCLC work. Do you always use

creative wording like "some mothers find the herb "xyz" helps with this

problem so talk with your primary HCP"? In the future I hope to add a

certification such as "certified clinical herbalist" however various

alternative certifications are not recognized state to state or

internationally. Natural medicine is always my first line of defense so I

can't imagine not being able to tell moms about various remedies/treatments

but I would never want to do anything that might constitute breaking the

code of ethics. I'd love some input from those of you that also discuss

alternatives with your clients.

Cole

Traveling over the river or through the woods this holiday season? Get the MapQuest Toolbar. Directions, Traffic, Gas Prices More!

[Guest guest]

, thank you for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it. I most appreciate hearing about how you naturally incorporate holistic practices into your lactation work.

I certainly do not need to be sold on the benefits of holistic health/birth practices and natural living. It is integral to who I am and it is how I want to practice lactation. I just want to make sure that how I present information to clients is compliant with the code and within the scope of practice. So is it fair to say that as long as IBCLCs are not prescribing (ex. "take xyz for this issue") but rather informing clients of their many options (ex. "xyz will help, and so will abc, here are the benefits/risks, etc") then we are within our scope and are compliant with the code? Perhaps that is over-simplifying it but when I boil it down I think that is my main question.

Perhaps this is a no-brainer issue for many of you experienced veterans but I am still trying to get it all figured out. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Cole

LLLL, WIC PC and 2009 exam hopeful

.....and also fighting off a chest cold with some delicious elderberry herbal syrup I just whipped up for winter

[Guest guest]

Hi en ,

Very interesting issue indeed...

I'll tell you a little something. Not by far am I competent in the field of holistic practice, like (gosh, still so much to learn!), but the fact that phytolacca can be very helpful with mastitis has been known to me for years. I made it into a real issue within my breastfeeding organisation, when many were still saying: "The doctor will help the mother, as we as volunteers do not deal with medical issues." We all know that most doctors never ever heard about the difference between a sterile mastitis due to milk stasis and a bacterial mastitis due to nipple cracks or other bad luck like reduced resistance. So I would talk things through with moms and when I thought that milk stasis was the cause, I would tell her about phytolacca as a good option. Many chose to use it and were thrilled about how fast it would work. Often, though, they would call me at funny times, with the pharmacy not open or with no phytolacca in store. I had a little bottle at home and people could pick it up, shake out a few granules on a spoon and bring it back after a day (usually they didn't need longer for the problem to be resolved!). I know: I'm not a pharmacy and our behavioural code certainly excluded this option... hahaha. Then again, like says: it thought it was the best way to serve the moms and that has always been highest on my priority list and falls squarely into *my* (personal) code of ethics! That didn't help, however... I got suspended! My, what a hassle and a stress it was... :-s After a couple of weird weeks, suspension was reversed, but I felt fragile going back to work, with many people having built an image of me that wasn't fully correct. There was so much they didn't know. It's been some eight years now and I still work in my volunteer bf organisation, by now a highly respected member (many from those days left, new ones don't know), but still a member that comes up with uneasy ideas once in a while, ideas that bother the board or annoy co-workers, because my standpoint is 'uneasy' and very clear, well-worded and well-based, either evidence based or psychologically based.

I reckon, , you often end up or have ended up in comparible positions, or not...? I have come to get used to that role and now try to play it eloquently and friendly. The thouroughness is still there, though, probably even stronger, and no matter how friendly you put it, there will always be people who take offense, because they know inside that you disagree with what they are practicing. Well... so be it. At the end of the day, I have to be able to say that I did it for the moms. That's the smell test Myr spoke about on Lactnet as part of Liz ' lecture on ethics in Vienna, and I want to pass my own! ;o)

I think, , that sometimes what people do, can seem to be without a single problem and still violates the Code of Ethics, because moms interests were not served. I really think it is complicated: you can do 'forbidden' things and comply with the Code of Ethics and you can do 'normal' things (or leave out simple things!) and violate it.

I'm really curious how others feel about this!

Warmly,

nne Vanderveen, Netherlands (and busy arranging a meeting with a couple of Dutch lc's, because my collegue and I feel that they strongly violated the Code of Ethics on several issues...! )

Re: Holistic practices

, thank you for taking the time to reply. I really appreciate it. I most appreciate hearing about how you naturally incorporate holistic practices into your lactation work.

I certainly do not need to be sold on the benefits of holistic health/birth practices and natural living. It is integral to who I am and it is how I want to practice lactation. I just want to make sure that how I present information to clients is compliant with the code and within the scope of practice. So is it fair to say that as long as IBCLCs are not prescribing (ex. "take xyz for this issue") but rather informing clients of their many options (ex. "xyz will help, and so will abc, here are the benefits/risks, etc") then we are within our scope and are compliant with the code? Perhaps that is over-simplifying it but when I boil it down I think that is my main question.

Perhaps this is a no-brainer issue for many of you experienced veterans but I am still trying to get it all figured out. Thanks in advance for your thoughts.

Cole

LLLL, WIC PC and 2009 exam hopeful

.....and also fighting off a chest cold with some delicious elderberry herbal syrup I just whipped up for winter

[Guest guest]

WOW -- can you share some of this fabulously helpful info at the PP conference in February in Philly? Would love to hear more...Thanks Ann

Ann Conlon-, IBCLCTriangle Lactation Consultants1875 Carrington DriveRaleigh, NC 27615 www.trianglelactation.comOne site has it all. Your email accounts, your social networks, and the things you love. Try the new AOL.com today!

[Guest guest]

Hi,

As I am new to group and list I was not

aware of the PP Conf in Philly. Can someone please let me know where I

can get info?

Lou

From:

[mailto: ] On Behalf Of aconsmith@...

Sent: Monday, November 24, 2008

4:43 PM

To:

Subject: Re: Holistic

practices

WOW -- can you share some of this

fabulously helpful info at the PP conference in February in Philly? Would

love to hear more...Thanks Ann

Ann

Conlon-, IBCLC

Triangle Lactation Consultants

1875 Carrington Drive

Raleigh, NC

27615

www.trianglelactation.com

One

site has it all. Your email accounts,

your social networks, and the things you love. Try the new AOL.com

today!