Lactation Consultant...

[popcrnlvr]

Hey everyone, I finally graduated with my BSN last month and am currently studying for boards....and trying to figure out what career path I want. I've thought about lactation consulting for a while now and have a couple questions.

1) Can you get qualifying hours for certification through volunteering alone? Such as at a women/pregnancy center?

2) If I do not have paid bedside nursing experience after completing the hours and becoming a certified lactation consultant is it still possible to find a job? Would it be very difficult?

3) What is your typical day like? Are most positions full or part time?

4) And Lastly, is it pretty much out of the question to even consider this career without having children of my own or ever having breast fed myself before?!

Thank you for any input!

[TexRN, BSN, RN]

Check on the iblce website and research the 3 different pathways. I did pathway 2 through university of California San Diego with their hybrid lactation consultant. It satisfies the 90 lactation specific hours but really with that and the clec prereq it equates to 165 and then 300 clinical hours. This will be your fastest route. Since the school combines the lactation education hours and clinical it took me 7 months. There are plenty of lactation consultants that have no children or haven't breastfed. Think of Dr jack Newman! I'm sitting for the ibclc exam this July and then going to my bsn program.