Any Lactation Consultants here to answer some questions? - page 2

I hope this thread isn't too old but I wanted to comment on op's question... There are 3 pathways to sit the exam. Pathway 1 is through a health professional accruing clinical hours working in MCH nursing/medicine/nicu, etc. Pathway 2 is through an academic program geared to graduating with BA/MA and sitting IBCLC. Pathway 3 is for the non-healthcare professional that will attend a apprenticeship, I would say more for the LLL based lactation support person. I completed Pathway 2. I have a masters in health & wellness/lactation education through Union. I currently work as a hospital based LC. I will be attending nursing school this fall. I don't need to be a nurse to be an IBCLC, but I believe that having prescriptive authority will expand my clinical practice, as my goal is to be a CNM/APRN If you are already a nurse, I would suggest getting a job working in MCH and accruing hours and then sitting the exam. Why go through another academic program and spending all that money when you can get paid to get hours? Your first step would be to become a CLC/CLE. I would recommend the CLC program through Healthy Children Center for Breastfeeding. I took this course and I really enjoyed it!. Also, as a nurse, this is the only course that will offers certification through the AANS.

Thank you all for these posts. I'm a new RN (ADN) as of August 2012. I completed my capstone in Labor & Delivery, but have not been able to find a job in this field after graduation. In fact my current field has made me wonder if I'm meant to be an RN at all. I enjoy MCH so much though. I'm looking into pathways now. I think Pathway 2 is best for me even with my RN training. I'm considering UCSD's program or getting a BA from Union in Maternal Child Health: Lactation Consultant. (Which poses many other problems considering I'm from UT.) I'm just not sure how to reach my goal and get myself out of LTC. Sigh!!!

Health e-Learning BreastEd is fantastic! I can't speak for the other programs.

You still need your clinical experience hours, so unless you can parlay that certification into gaining supervised hours, I would say it isn't worth it. You're better off getting all your education hours from one program, and the CLC track doesn't do that.

You could either find an IBCLC to mentor you, or find another pathway to gain supervised clinical hours such as becoming a LLL Leader, Nursing Mothers Council Counselor, or WIC Peer Counselor. Finding an IBCLC with the time and inclination to mentor someone isn't easy. I would suggest approaching local private practice IBCLCs first, as they are the ones most likely to be in a position to mentor someone else.