How can I become a Lactation Consultant?

How do you become a lactation consultant?

• I am a teacher, so I have a college degree? Do you have to be a nurse to be a lactation consultant or is it just an exam that I could study for and take? How much do lactation consultants make? Where do they work (besides hospitals)? Are they in demand, or will it be hard for me to find a job? I am currently off work and home with my baby, but plan on going back eventually.... kind of thinking of a career change. I love teaching and the kids, but get annoyed with the politics of it all.

• Answer:

  Unfortunately, having a college degree isn't enough to help you become a Lactation Consultant. It is possible for anyone depending on how much experience you have, but much easier for nurses and those with health care experience directly related to breastfeeding. The requirements seem to have changed from a couple of years ago when I last looked into this. The description of what it takes to qualify as a Lactation Consultant appears rather vague now, but the IBLCE is still the organization you need to look toward: http://www.iblce.org/index.php I don't know what country you are in, so I just linked to the generic website. If you press "go to your region" you will find a drop down menu listing requirements. The FAQ seems to be most helpful. They used to require anywhere from a few hundred clinical hours to a few thousand, depending on whether you were an RN or lay person interested in the field. Now they seem to have tried to open it up more for those who are already dieticians, midwives, or other related fields. They continue to give La Leche League Leaders the equivalent of 500 credit hours per year for up to two years of leading groups. This may be your best route for experience since you do not work in the health care field. However, you also might want to consider where you want to work. In the US, most hospitals will not hire an LC who isn't also an RN with labor and delivery or NICU experience. You are more likely to get a job at WIC or another non-hospital affiliated organization that offers breastfeeding support. Another site with information on course requirements and educational credits toward LC: http://www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3488