How do I become a breastfeeding advisor?

Becoming a Breastfeeding Advisor: A Comprehensive Guide
In a world where maternal and infant health is paramount, the role of a breastfeeding advisor, often referred to as a lactation consultant, has become increasingly vital. These professionals are specially trained to assist mothers in navigating the complexities of breastfeeding, ensuring that both mother and child have a positive experience. If you’re considering a career as a breastfeeding advisor, here’s a detailed look at the steps involved.
Understanding the Role
A lactation consultant is a healthcare professional who provides support and education to mothers about breastfeeding. Their expertise encompasses a wide range of topics, including nursing positions, latching techniques, pumping, and managing milk supply. They play a crucial role in helping mothers overcome challenges that may arise during the breastfeeding journey, making their support invaluable.
Educational Pathways
To become a breastfeeding advisor, you typically need a background in healthcare. Many lactation consultants start as registered nurses, midwives, or other healthcare professionals. However, it is not strictly necessary to have a nursing degree. The key is to pursue specialized training in lactation.
1. Obtain Relevant Education: While a degree in nursing or a related field can be beneficial, it is not mandatory. You can also consider programs specifically focused on lactation consulting.
2. Complete Lactation Consultant Training: Enroll in a lactation consultant training program accredited by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). These programs cover essential topics such as breastfeeding techniques, anatomy, and the physiological aspects of lactation.
3. Gain Clinical Experience: Practical experience is crucial. Many training programs require a certain number of hours working with breastfeeding mothers and infants. This hands-on experience will help you develop the skills necessary to provide effective support.
4. Pass the Certification Exam: After completing your training and clinical hours, you must pass the IBLCE certification exam to become a certified lactation consultant (IBCLC). This certification is recognized globally and is essential for establishing credibility in the field.
Building Your Practice
Once certified, you can begin your practice as a breastfeeding advisor. There are various avenues to explore:
– Work in Healthcare Settings: Many lactation consultants find employment in hospitals, clinics, or community health organizations, where they can provide direct support to new mothers.
– Private Practice: Some choose to establish their own private practice, offering personalized consultations and support to families in their homes or through virtual platforms.
– Community Programs: Organizations like the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program often seek breastfeeding advisors to provide education and support to new mothers. This can be a rewarding way to make a difference in your community.
The Importance of Support
Breastfeeding is not just a personal choice; it is a public health issue. The World Health Organization recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life, followed by continued breastfeeding with complementary foods up to two years or beyond . As a breastfeeding advisor, you will play a crucial role in helping mothers achieve these recommendations, providing them with the information and support they need to succeed.
Conclusion
Becoming a breastfeeding advisor is a fulfilling career path that allows you to make a significant impact on maternal and infant health. By obtaining the necessary education, gaining practical experience, and obtaining certification, you can empower mothers to embrace breastfeeding, ultimately contributing to healthier families and communities. Whether you choose to work in a clinical setting, start your own practice, or engage with community programs, your role as a breastfeeding advisor will be essential in supporting new mothers on their breastfeeding journey.

Is there a demand for lactation consultants?

Nurses are in short supply all over the United States. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 24% of U.S. hospitals have reported critical staffing shortages. Between the nursing shortage and the number of births, lactation consultant nurses will stay in high demand for some time.

Do breastfeeding counsellors get paid?

The estimated total pay for a Breastfeeding Counselor is £33,956 per year, with an average salary of £30,774 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users.

What do I need to be a breastfeeding consultant?

You study for a foundation degree with the University of Worcester and take the ‘breastfeeding pathway’. You start with the essentials course to become a ‘birth and beyond practitioner’ and then go onto do the breastfeeding specialism. You will need to have breastfed one child for at least six months.

How long does it take to become a breastfeeding counselor?

The number of supervised clinical hours ranges from 300 to 1,000, depending on an applicant’s educational and professional qualifications. For example, applicants with a high school diploma and no previous educational training must take 90 lactation courses and complete 1,000 practicum hours.

How much schooling to be a lactation consultant?

There are three specific pathways toward becoming a certified lactation consultant. Each pathway requires the completion of fourteen health science prerequisite courses, 95 hours of lactation-specific coursework, and 300-1000 hours of supervised clinical experience.

Do you have to go to school to be a lactation consultant?

How to Become a Lactation Consultant? There are three specific pathways toward becoming a certified lactation consultant. Each pathway requires the completion of fourteen health science prerequisite courses, 95 hours of lactation-specific coursework, and 300-1000 hours of supervised clinical experience.

How do I become a lactation consultant without being an RN?

Lactation Education: Complete 90 hours of lactation-specific education, and 5 additional hours of communication skills specific to lactation. Clinical Hours: Gain clinical experience in lactation care (number of hours varies based on the pathway) Exam: Take and pass the IBCLC exam (offered twice each year)

Do you need a license to be a lactation consultant?

Currently, anyone can call themselves a lactation consultant, even with minimal training or without board certification.

How much does a CLC make?

What are Top 10 Highest Paying Cities for Certified Lactation Counselor Clc Jobs

City	Annual Salary	Hourly Wage
San Francisco, CA	$70,303	$33.80
Santa Clara, CA	$70,081	$33.69
Sunnyvale, CA	$70,034	$33.67
Livermore, CA	$69,994	$33.65

How do I become a breastfeeding peer counselor?

Becoming a WIC Peer Counselor
Your local clinic recruits, hires, and trains WIC peer counselors from the community. Training prepares the peer counselors to provide mom-to-mom support in group settings. It also gets them ready to give one-to-one counseling on the phone or in home, clinic, or hospital.