What Training is Needed to Be a Lactation Consultant?

Breastfeeding is a natural process for many women. Many hospitals encourage nursing right in the delivery room to create bonding between mother and baby. Often they get the hang of it immediately, but sometimes it doesn't go so smoothly, especially for first-time mothers. Most hospitals have a lactation consultant on staff to help out. Other lactation consultants come to the mother's home after she returns from the hospital. Getting certified allows you to partake in this exciting and rewarding career.

Clinical Hours

Aside from some thorough education, every lactation consultant candidate needs 1,000 hours working with mothers and babies. Many candidates will have already acquired these hours through their current professions as doctors, nurses, or other healthcare professionals. Other candidates will need to volunteer or obtain some sort of paid position, perhaps in the labor and delivery ward of a hospital or in a La Leche League, where they will get this experience. These hours need to be completed within five years of applying for the certification examination.

Supervision

The clinical hours must be supervised by someone in a supervisory capacity. You don't actually need to be "watched" the entire 1,000 hours; rather, someone needs to verify and sign off that you worked the hours that you claim. This is simple to accomplish in most settings where the candidate would be in a position to support breastfeeding, such as a hospital or a WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children) office.

Purpose

The purpose of the training is to ensure that the candidate has a solid understanding of the lactation process and its practical implications. Education alone does not allow you to get the hands-on training that augments your learning. Through clinical training, you interact with mothers and healthcare professionals and gain necessary experience in providing support for breastfeeding mothers and their families. This should span the entire nursing process, from the pre-conception stage through the weaning process.

Other Pathways

You can also enroll in an academic program that is specifically geared toward lactation and includes clinical training. The program must be accredited, and it must concentrate on human lactating and breastfeeding. The program must be run by a board-certified lactation consultant and have board-certified lactation consultants as the primary faculty members. Additionally, the clinical experience must be supervised by a board-certified lactation consultant. You can get most information on specific programs by contacting the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners.