So You Want to Be a Lactation Consultant

IBCLC Prerequisites:

Health Science Classes - These college classes include biology, anatomy & physiology, infant and child growth and development, introduction to clinical research, nutrition, psychology, and sociology, among others. See this guide to review the requirements. Note: there is no time limit on when these classes were taken, as long as they are completed before applying for the IBCLC exam. Because of this, completing the health science classes is a great place to start.

Lactation Education Hours - We recommend the Certified Lactation Counselor Course, GOLD Lactation Academy and the Lactation Education Resources courses to begin gathering your lactation specific education hours. Note: these lactation education hours must be completed within the 5 years preceding the exam application. You'll need 95 hours covering the required topics so be sure to plan accordingly.

Clinical Hours - This hands on experience can be gained in a mentorship situation (500 hours required), a university based program (300 hours required), or a various other volunteer and clinical settings where there is accountability for time logged working with breastfeeding families (1000 hours required). (Note: these clinical hours must be completed within the 5 years preceding the exam application.) Gaining clinical hours is the most difficult part of the process for most people, as there are few contexts and opportunities to gain appropriate clinical experience. Some hospitals offer internships, so this is the best place to check first unless you can go through a university based program below. Another common route for clinical experience is through a volunteer organization such as becoming a La Leche League leader, BreastfeedingUSA leader, or WIC peer counselor. Gaining clinical hours the biggest barrier to becoming an IBCLC. There are so many people who want to become IBCLCs but very few mentors and clinical programs available. There may be 20 applicants for every 1 opportunity to earn clinical hours; as a result most people who want to become an IBCLC will never be able to get past this critical step in the process. Until more university programs make becoming a lactation consultant a standard degree program the way obtaining a RN is, we don't expect this to change much, unfortunately.

The Exam - This four hour proctored board exam is offered twice a year and covers a wide variety of topics including but not limited to human lactation. Before sitting the exam, you'll need to apply a few months in advance and verify you've completed all the requirements above.

University Based Programs

University based programs usually combine the health science classes, lactation education classes, and hands on clinical experience into one package. We hope someday that every major university will offer a college degree program that includes the necessary clinical components. Some universities in our area offer lactation programs, but even they have had difficulty setting up the clinical experience portion of the program, so be sure to check with the relevant department for specifics on what their program will include. Check out Johnson C Smith University in Charlotte, University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, and North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University in Greensboro.

Our best advice is not to get too far down the journey of becoming an IBCLC without a really solid plan for your clinical hours. We are no longer offering internships at Lake Norman Breastfeeding Solutions but we hope you can find a pathway that allows you to achieve your dreams.

IBCLE Candidate Information Guide