BECOME A LACTATION CONSULTANT

Welcome to your lactation career

Lactation careers provide high job satisfaction, and offer room for both advancement and specialization. If you are pursuing IBCLC certification, our paid Lactation Internship can help you on your way to a career you’ll love.

Why consider a lactation internship position?

International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) make a real difference in the lives of growing families. Often, those who aspire to become IBCLCs struggle to gain the clinical hours required to sit for the board exam. As part of our mission to create accessible lactation care for all, Breastfeeding Success helps aspiring IBCLCs gain that clinical experience.

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How can I become an IBCLC?

To become an IBCLC, you must complete requirements in four key areas, including college coursework, lactation-specific continuing education credits, clinical hours, and passing the board exam.

If you’ve already begun your IBCLC journey, a Lactation Internship position with Breastfeeding Success may be able to help you gain required clinical experience.

Learn more about each requirement area below. For a comprehensive look at becoming an IBCLC, visit the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and consult their IBCLC Candidate Information Guide.

IBCLC Requirements

IBCLCs must complete credits for an Associates degree in health sciences, taking a total of 14 courses as follows:

Core courses: 8 college level, semester-based courses from an accredited institution of higher learning as follows.

  1. Biology
  2. Human Anatomy
  3. Human Physiology
  4. Infant Child Growth and Development
  5. Introduction to Clinical Research
  6. Nutrition
  7. Psychology or Counseling Skills or Communication Skills
  8. Sociology or Cultural Sensitivity or Cultural Anthropology

Continuing education courses: 6 college level, semester-based courses offered by an accredited institution of higher learning or independent continuing education (CE, CEU) provider. Check with your local community college for availability of continuing education courses.

  1. Basic Life Support
  2. Medical Documentation
  3. Medical Terminology
  4. Occupational Safety and Security for Health Professionals
  5. Professional Ethics for Health Professionals
  6. Universal Safety Precautions and Infection Control

Resources:

Arizona State University – Academy of Lactation Program  Online, self paced covering the 8 college level courses

Health e-learning – Medical Terminology and Professional Ethics

CEUfast – Medical documentation, ethics for healthcare professionals, infection control

Check with your local community college as well. Most will not have all courses needed bundled together in a degree plan but you may be able to simply select the courses that are required for this specialty.

Lactation consultant candidates must also complete 95 lactation-specific continuing education units (CEUs). Unlike college courses, these are are hour-for-hour credits: an hour-long webinar provides 1 out of 95 required CEUs.

Develop a plan for and get started on completing your 95 hours of lactation-specific education before you pursue clinical experience through Breastfeeding Success. As you go, be sure to keep track of all lactation-specific continuing education you attain, and complete at least 95 credits before applying to sit for the IBCLC exam. Here are some credit sources:

Online lactation-specific education resources:  

• Health-e-Learning
• Lactation Education Resources
• Marie Biancuzzo
• UC San Diego
• Gold Lactation Academy

Free or low cost lactation-specific education resources:

• The Texas State WIC program has online courses that can create a great foundation for Lactation education.

• If you become an ILCA member all courses that qualify for LCERPS are FREE as a member benefit. You could obtain most of your 95 hrs there but it is all topic. focused in 1-2 hr sessions. You can join as a student for a discounted price and still get access to all the resources.

• If you become a USLCA member you will gain access to a wealth of knowledge and access to very low cost education that qualifies towards that 95 hrs.

Conferences and online CERP lactation-specific education providers:

• iLactation
• Gold Learning
• ILCA Conference (Annual)
• USLCA Conference (Annual)
• ABM Conference (Annual)

Often, aspiring lactation consultants struggle to gain required clinical experience hours ahead of taking the IBCLC exam. Our Lactation Tech program can help.

Becoming a Lactation Tech with Breastfeeding Success removes barriers to IBCLC certification through a paid position in which you can gain clinical experience. As a Lactation Tech, you will complete all clinical competencies on the job, and be prepared to sit for the IBCLC exam.

Once you have completed college course requirements and have developed a plan for gaining your 95 hrs (changed in 2021), you may be eligible to apply as a Lactation Tech.

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READY TO APPLY?

Join us to start your career at the highest standard of breastfeeding medicine.