Helpful Certifications???

[<3 RN <3]

I'm a new nurse dreaming of a career in Women's Services - Antepartum, L&D, Postpartum, Newborn Nursery, NICU, ect.

I will be getting NRP certified soon :) Are there ANY other certifications or anything else that would help???

Thanks for any advice

[xandarosa]

Thanks so much!!!!

[holisticallyminded]

Funny, I'm in the same boat and starting doula classes next week here in Seattle. Also working with LLL but have been breastfeeding 4 years. Sort of important for lactation. Didn't see that mentioned. Wouldn't help if you hadn't done it. Neither would the doula cert. I'm assuming you've had children, breastfed them, etc???

[klone, MSN, RN]

Funny, I'm in the same boat and starting doula classes next week here in Seattle. Also working with LLL but have been breastfeeding 4 years. Sort of important for lactation. Didn't see that mentioned. Wouldn't help if you hadn't done it. Neither would the doula cert. I'm assuming you've had children, breastfed them, etc???

I disagree that you have to have breastfed or had a baby to be a good lactation educator or doula.

The very best doula I know in the world is childless. As are some of the very best midwives I know.

One of the world's foremost lactation experts is a man (Jack Newman). The same childless doula I mentioned above is also an excellent IBCLC.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Also, someone mentioned that ALACE and DONA are the only doula certification programs that she is aware of. There is also CAPPA.

[holisticallyminded]

Hmmmmm........childless doulas and lactation educators surely would not fly in my neck of the woods. Sounds like the time I had a cervical biopsy and the male MD said, "This will feel like a menstrual cramp." Yeah, right. It felt like someone had just clipped a piece of my cervix off!!! Sorry but you can only learn so much from a textbook.

Also, the LLL won't let you work with them without personal experience. And you have to actually work with breastfeeding moms to get the hours required for lactation cert. Postpartum doula work would suffice also, but again.....good luck!

[klone, MSN, RN]

Also, the LLL won't let you work with them without personal experience. And you have to actually work with breastfeeding moms to get the hours required for lactation cert. Postpartum doula work would suffice also, but again.....good luck!

Yes, I know - I was a LLL Leader for 8 years. :)

And as an IBCLC, I'm very aware of what's required to earn consultancy hours. It's possible to do that without being a breastfeeding mother, though. Thankfully the IBLCE realizes that and doesn't require personal breastfeeding experience as a prerequisite to sit for the exam.

I just think it's very narrow-minded to assume that one must have breastfed or had a baby to be a good lactation consultant or doula. I have a good friend who is an EXCELLENT oncology nurse, and she's never had cancer. My husband is a fabulous hospice nurse, yet he's never had any close friends or family who have died from a chronic illness.

ETA: Also, I think that at times as nurses, especially in an area like OB, we tend to personalize our patients' situations. I think it's helpful to remember that everyone's birth experience is unique and their own, and just because I have gone through childbirth three times does not mean that my patient's experience will be even REMOTELY like mine were. Sometimes being removed from the personalization, having no personal experience to draw from and perhaps affect your judgment, makes one a BETTER nurse/advocate.

[holisticallyminded]

"Yes, I know - I was a LLL Leader for 8 years.

And as an IBCLC, I'm very aware of what's required to earn consultancy hours. It's possible to do that without being a breastfeeding mother, though. Thankfully the IBLCE realizes that and doesn't require personal breastfeeding experience as a prerequisite to sit for the exam.

I just think it's very narrow-minded to assume that one must have breastfed or had a baby to be a good lactation consultant or doula. I have a good friend who is an EXCELLENT oncology nurse, and she's never had cancer. My husband is a fabulous hospice nurse, yet he's never had any close friends or family who have died from a chronic illness.

ETA: Also, I think that at times as nurses, especially in an area like OB, we tend to personalize our patients' situations. I think it's helpful to remember that everyone's birth experience is unique and their own, and just because I have gone through childbirth three times does not mean that my patient's experience will be even REMOTELY like mine were. Sometimes being removed from the personalization, having no personal experience to draw from and perhaps affect your judgment, makes one a BETTER nurse/advocate."

Someone's very touchy. Sorry this was so personal for you since my original post wasn't intended for you.

I didn't even speak to IBCLC, the OP wanted to know how she could get certifications and didn't sound like she worked in an organization that would allow her to do the educational time required for cert. You're right, you could work in post-partum nursing without ever having had a child and still get certified.

But typically a doula is actually EXPERIENCED labor support and is defined as such. Otherwise I suppose a woman could just have a friend or her baby's father sit with her. The reason she typically hires a doula is because this person understands and can personally empathize. Also, a doula is not a nurse but yes, a nurse can be a doula.

I totally disagree about the personal experience line. It absolutely makes you better at what you do. Having that experience doesn't mean that you need to become more emotionally involved than necessary. Sorry but I don't need a robot nurse reciting from a textbook.

Again, my original post was intended to be helpful since I'm trying to transition into this area myself. The other advice posted here was helpful as well. Now you're just picking at ME. Maybe you should ask why this bothered you so much that you felt the need.

[<3 RN <3]

I do not have children yet. Someday I will have the personal experience :)

Actually, I am a new nurse and do not currently have a job. I was hoping to get some certifications while I am looking for a job and have no job, that would hopefully help me to get a job...

I'm not familiar with some of the abbreviations used: "LLL" "IBCLC"

So, should I wait to get some of these certifications until I have been working?

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

LLL=La Leche League

IBCLC= International Board Certified Lactation Consultant

IBCLC requires a lot of clinical hours and has a comprehensive certifying exam once those hours are completed.

To be a LLL leader you have to have to be/have been a breastfeeding mother. Though it is my understanding that anyone can join/attend LLL meetings. You just have to have an interest in breastfeeding.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Truly, I'm not personally affected. I'm just truly surprised that someone on a nursing board would hold such a view.