Question: I recently had my first baby, and when I was in the hospital a woman helped me with some problems I was having when I was trying to breastfeed. I remembered how great it was to have her help. I think I would enjoy working with new mothers and their babies. What kind of training do I need to do this job?
— Kimberly

Response: Congratulations on the birth of your baby! It sounds like you had the help of a lactation consultant.

Job Description
Lactation consultants, also called breastfeeding counselors, breastfeeding educators, or lactation educators, provide counseling and education to breastfeeding mothers. They help with feeding techniques and lactation problems.

They also teach medical providers about breastfeeding in hospitals, clinics or universities. Most lactation consultants are registered nurses. But they can also be physicians, licensed vocational nurses, dieticians or social workers. Many are self-employed.

In a hospital setting, a lactation consultant is often a registered nurse in the maternity unit. The lactation consultant observes every mother breastfeeding before they are discharged.

They ensure that maternity staff receives training in basic breastfeeding management and common problems. That way, if complications arise, the patient can be referred to the lactation consultant.

The consultant may also act as an advisor in the development of breastfeeding policies and procedures for the hospital. They may compile handouts and resources for new mothers. They may also assist mothers in obtaining and using equipment such as breast pumps or breastfeeding devices.

In hospitals without a staff lactation nurse, private lactation consultants may be used. These consultants would conduct prenatal classes, make rounds to teach breastfeeding techniques, and follow up with mothers after discharge through home visits and telephone help. They may also serve as a resource person for hospital personnel on breastfeeding research and information. They may work in clinics, birthing centers or doctors' offices.

Employment Outlook
Faster than average growth is expected for registered nurses, including lactation consultants.

Certification
To become certified as a lactation consultant generally requires at least two years of college, or 40 hours of coursework in anatomy and physiology, sociology, psychology, counseling or communication skills, child development, nutrition, and medical terminology.

You also need to complete supervised experience doing breastfeeding consulting. The amount of experience you need ranges from 900 hours to 6000 hours depending on how much and what type of degree, education, or license you have.

To obtain the breastfeeding counseling hours you need, you can work with an experienced International Board of Certified Lactation Consultant/ clinical instructor (IBCLC). You could also work with La Leche League as a league leader or counselor. The IBLCE will grant a credit for 500 practice hours for each year you are actively practicing.

Other options include working as a peer counselor with public health breastfeeding programs, such as the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC). Or you could work in a physician's office, volunteer in a hospital as a patient educator, work for a home health agency, or make visits with nurses as they do lactation assessments and counseling.

Once you have the required documented breastfeeding counseling hours and approved education and licenses, you will be eligible to take the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) test to become certified as a lactation consultant.

For more information about certification you can contact:
International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE)
7245 Arlington Blvd., Suite 200
Falls Church, VA 22042-3217
Telephone: (703) 560-7330
Fax: (703) 560-7332
E-mail: iblce@iblce.org
www.iblce.org/become.htm
Professional Associations
La Leche League International
www.lalecheleague.org
The La Leche League International helps mothers worldwide to breastfeed through mother-to-mother support, encouragement, information and education. They promote a better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.

They offer a professional breastfeeding resource center membership that initially costs $100, and $70 per year for renewal. Professional membership includes a copy of La Leche League's basic manual of breastfeeding information and a guide to breastfeeding for new mothers, a one-year subscription to a quarterly journal, a one-year subscription to LLLI's bimonthly magazine, and one copy of every relevant pamphlet and tear-off sheet in the current LLLI Catalogue.

LLI also sponsors conferences and workshops that count towards continuing education credits, such as a Parenting and Health Care Conference. This conference will be held May 26th-28th, 2006 in Costa Mesa, Calif. Registration is available online, by mail, phone, fax or onsite.

For contact information for local leagues, visit www.lalecheleaguescnv.org.
International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA)
1500 Sunday Drive, Suite 102
Raleigh, North Carolina, 27607, USA
Telephone (919) 861-5577
Fax (919) 787-4916
E-mail: info@ilca.org
The International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) is the professional association for International Board Certified Lactation Consultants and other health care professionals who care for breastfeeding families.

Membership benefits include a subscription to ILCA's quarterly scientific journal and access to their online newsletter. ILCA holds an annual international conference with continuing education credits, regional conferences and independent study modules with continuing education credits.

The have an interactive website, job listings for members, and offer regional scholarships. They also provide member volunteer opportunities, research grants, and official representation with other organizations. Individual membership costs $142 per year, or $263 for two years.

Salary
Wages for lactation consultants who are registered nurses are comparable to those of other registered nurses with advanced training and specialization. In the Los Angeles area, beginning registered nurses earn from $40,000 to $54,000 per year.

Independent lactation consultants earn $30 to $90 per class in a hospital setting. For private consulting, some are paid from $15 to $30 per hour. Lactation consultants who hold a master's degree may charge up to $150 for a one-and-a-half to two-hour private consultation.

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Susan W. Miller, M.A., is a National Certified Career Counselor, a Certified Vocational Evaluation Specialist and holds diplomate status on the American Board of Vocational Experts. She heads California Career Services, a private practice career counseling firm in Los Angeles.

E-mail career questions you'd like answered in this column to info@californiacareerservices.com or visit California Career Services at www.californiacareerservices.com.