Lactation Education

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Curious if anyone has taken the 90 hour course for lactation education IBCLC? I would like to take this course and wondering if a full year is truly required for completion?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Not sure what you're referring to. The IBCLC exam requires 90 hours of lactation education, but it doesn't mandate where it's taken, and people get their hours at lots of different places. I did all mine through Health eLearning's BreastEd courses. I did the full lactation studies course, which I believe gives you 120 hours. I was able to finish the entire ten classes in about a month.

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I am taking mine at UCSD this fall. You should look into it!! They have a hybrid class where the lecture is online and then you find your own mentor for the 300 clinical hours. You must take the CLEC course as a prereq though. It was about $800 total for that prereq, its the breastfeeding educator course.

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This is the question I was asking. (How long does it take to complete the required hours.) Thank you. I am looking at a program through LactationEducation.org. It's 90 hours and you have one year access to their program. I have 3 small children and I am hoping I can make the time to complete the course before October, when I am planning to attend a conference where this is required to be completed prior to attendance. I'm a BSN-RN. I am a new grad and trying to pursue a path to help women prenantal/postnatally with education on birthing choices, nutrition, lactation and confident beginnings. I speak with moms all the time that need this extra support and aren't getting in with their OB's probably due to mandated appt times. I can't find a job right now in L&D bc my kids need me and full time is hard. I'm considering a post partum Doula route and IBCLC once I've satisfied the hours. With all certs combined, I'd hope to work or start my own "home health" type agency to help moms. Any suggestions would be helpful.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

That sounds like a great idea! I would probably market yourself as a postpartum doula/lactation assistance. A PP doula has a lot more control over her schedule than a labor doula.

Ratlady, what pathway are you doing? I'm curious about the 300 clinical hours component. Things sure have changed from when I first sat for the exam! When I did it, it required 4000 clinical/consultancy hours. It took me 8 years of work to qualify to sit for the exam.

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Klone, 8 yrs! Wow, and I was complaining about the 1000 hours for HCP's. Yes, the 300 hour route sounds like pathway 3. I think that the hours are similar to getting another degree. Please share the details of your program.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Yes, I actually went to nursing school initially because it was the fastest/easiest way to become an IBCLC.

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Ok, so you are an RN too like me? Do you think , as an RN, it's a good or bad idea to gain exp as a Post Partum Doula/lactation educator as a means to an end ( NP women's health/CNM)?

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300 hours is for the second pathway. I am not an RN, not even close. I'm applying to a BSN program so I can hopefully start not this fall, but the next fall. I will already be credentialed with IBCLC by the time I start nursing school so I hope that would give me an edge over the competition, you know? Plus, if need be I can do consults through nursing school for some extra money. (I'm not planning on working through nursing school) I have a 1 year old son and a 2 year old daughter so I feel your concern!

UCSD Lactation Consultant Hybrid starts in September and ends in June, then the test is July, and you find out if you passed in October. For clinical you do 12 hours a week in 2 sessions under an IBCLC preferrably at a hospital.

Breastfeeding-education.com has everything you need to know about this program including a 1 hour webinar about the 3 pathways.

It would be a good idea to stick with 1 program for all the 90 hours as I think IBCLE is moving towards that.

CLEC is 45 hour course, and then the LC is 90 hr (120 lecture hours + 300 clinical hours)

Lactation Consultant Certificate - UC San Diego Extension

(PS, UCSD is recognized by IBCLE for their pathway 2)

My end goal is to have a BSN RN IBCLC and to work in post partum mother baby as the LC. :)

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