A lactation consultant is a certified healthcare professional who assists mothers with developing a breastfeeding relationship with their newborn child. If you have an interest in helping mothers and infants and a desire to promote and support breastfeeding, this guide on how to become a lactation consultant may be for you.

• Speak to other lactation consultants to get an idea if this is the right career path for you.

• Choose a pathway that will allow you to meet all requirements in order to take the exam.

A lactation consultant is considered to be a health care professional who educates mothers and assists them with their breastfeeding relationships. They work in a wide array of settings including hospitals, private practices, neonatal intensive care units or lactation clinics. To become a consultant or international board certified lactation consultant (IBCLC), you must be eligible and meet all necessary requirements in order to take the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLC) certification exam.

It will be beneficial to speak with other IBCLCs to determine if becoming a consultant is a right choice for you. In order to be successful as an IBCLC, you must be patient and comfortable around mothers who are lactating, as well as being around newborns.

You may also contact the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners for more insight and to help you decide on how you can become eligible. There are different pathways to become certified as a lactation consultant.

According to the IBCLE, in order to become eligible to qualify for the IBCLC certification exam, you must complete all requirements needed. There are three ways (or pathways) to choose that will qualify you and each pathway has a specific amount of education and clinical experience assisting breastfeeding mothers and children that needs to be completed.

Pathway 1 is for candidates who come from three general backgrounds of experience or on-the-job training. These backgrounds include:

1. Health care professionals who work in maternal-child health fieldhttp://americas.iblce.org/pathway1.php
2. Accredited volunteer mother-to-mother breastfeeding support group leadershttp://americas.iblce.org/pathway1.php
3. Breastfeeding support counselors who work within an organization that requires criteria such as up to date education, work within a supervision structure, completion of a structured training program that includes breastfeeding management and adherence to ethical standards.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway1.php

Clinical experience including 1,000 hours of paid or volunteer employment of lactation care in a supervised setting is required and should be accumulated within 5 years prior to taking the exam.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway1.php

Forty-five hours of education in human lactation and breastfeedng is also required. The education is based on the IBLCE Exam Blueprint and also should be completed within five years prior to taking the exam. Health disciplines education is recommended and includes knowledge of nutrition, human anatomy and physiology, sociology, psychology or counseling, infant and child growth and development and medical terminology.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway1.php/ref.

Pathway 2 is for candidates whom are graduates of an accredite academic program in human lactation and breastfeeding. Accredited programs must be meet the following requirements:

1. The program must have been at least one academic year and included clinical assignments.<ref>http://americas.iblce.org/pathway2.php
2. Must be offered at an accredited university or college.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway2.php
3. Professors for the program must be certified IBCLCs who have been recertified at least once.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway2.php
4. Students must also complete at least one course in each of six health disciplines if they haven't already.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway2.php
5. Students must complete ninety hours of educational instruction based on the IBLCE Exam Blueprint.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway2.php
6. Three hundred IBCLC supervised clinical practice hours must also be completed for graduation requirements.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway2.php

Pathway 3 is for candidates who have very limited or no experience in assisting in human lactation and breastfeeding and would like to gain lactation experience under the supervision of an IBCLC mentor. Those who wish to choose pathway 3 must be approved by the IBLCE before beginning any clinical practice. http://americas.iblce.org/pathway3.php

Candidates are responsible for finding a mentor who has been continuously certified for more than five years as an IBCLC. Candidates may be expected to pay for their own mentors. Clinical experience of 500 hours is required under supervision of the mentor.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway3.php

Forty-five hours of education in human lactation and breastfeedng is also required. The education is based on the IBLCE Exam Blueprint and also should be completed within five years prior to taking the exam.http://americas.iblce.org/pathway3.php

Upon completing all requirements necessary, you can then apply for the exam through the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners website at www.iblce.org. The application includes fees that are required and deadlines.

You can also take a look at the IBLCE Exam Blueprint which will provide guidance and an idea of the information that should be known in order to take the exam.