You are passionate about breastfeeding. You want to support other breastfeeding moms. You want to devote yourself to helping educate families and individuals about the importance of breastfeeding, and now you want to figure out how to do it. Read on – this post is for you.
As an aside – Welcome to April’s “Carnival Of Breastfeeding !”
This month we are bringing you posts on “How To…” do something related to breastfeeding. Be sure to check out the other blogger’s posts at the bottom of mine. I hope you will find them helpful and informative. Oh right, and there will be no Monday Musings at Breastfeeding Moms Unite! today, due to the carnival. But feel free to muse about my post in the comments section!
Now back to How To Become a Breastfeeding Support Professional…
1) Become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
To become an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), exam candidates must have background experience in providing care to breastfeeding families and complete education in lactation and breastfeeding. There are three pathways to choose from to become an IBCLC, and once you start you have five years to complete the educational training and clinical hours. While it does not actually cost very much money to take the five-day (45 hours) course leading up to the exam to be certified, it can take five years to gain the required clinical hours needed before the exam can be taken, which range from 300-1000 hours depending on one’s educational and/or work background.
Most people who decide to become IBCLC’s are already health care professionals like nurses, midwives, physicians, dieticians, occupational therapists, etc. If you are not already a licensed health care professional (instead, perhaps you are a La Leche League leader, doula or mom) you may also need to take a few university level courses in things like anatomy and physiology, psychology, sociology, nutrition and child development. While IBCLC’s are probably the most respected for their breastfeeding knowledge in the “field” of breastfeeding and the profession shows job growth within the health care industry, this route is certainly the most time consuming. However, women who choose this route do it to have a career. Lactation consultants can make an average of $60,000 USD working full time in a hospital setting. Other settings IBCLCs work may include public health, physician offices, private clinics and in the United States, WIC clinics. To read more about becoming a Lactation Consultant go here.
2) Become a La Leche League leader.
La Leche League leaders are volunteers. To become a LLL leader candidates meet pre-application prerequisites. If she does not meet all of them special consideration can be made depending on the issue. All issues must be discussed with one’s LLL group leader or sponsoring leader.
In a nutshell, in order to become a LLL leader, the applicant must be a member of LLL and support the LLL purpose and philosophy, have attended at least one series of meetings (4 weeks), own and be familiar with The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding and have a recommendation from an LLL leader.
She must also be breastfeeding for at least 9 months or have breastfed for at least one year. If she has weaned she must have respected the baby’s needs while transitioning. As a mother she must value nursing as the optimal way to nourish, nurture and comfort her baby, understand and respond to her baby’s need for her presence as well as her milk and manage any separation from her baby with sensitivity and respect for the baby’s needs.
She must also be accepting, respectful, warm, empathetic and demonstrate or be willing to learn effective communication skills. All of this information comes directly from LLL’s publication LLL Leadership: Is It For You?
A part of the process in becoming a leader is to share your childbirth and breastfeeding experiences, and beliefs and mothering philosophies. LLL needs to make sure these are in line with theirs and while each leader is her own individual who sometimes may do things differently from what the LLL philosophy is, she just has to uphold the LLL philosophy when she’s being a leader.
It can take 3-18 months to complete the process. There is reading and assigments, and meetings to attend. LLL lets each mom work at her own pace. Once accredited, LLL leaders help other breastfeeding mothers, on the phone, in person, or by email. They lead groups and can speak about breastfeeding at childbirth classes, new mom groups and schools, and write articles for LLL publications. You don’t have to be breastfeeding to be a leader either. Some women become leaders long after their children have weaned.
3) Become a breastfeeding mom.
I have met with lactation consultants at my local public health unit and I have attended La Leche League meetings. While I have nothing but good things to say about all of the breastfeeding professionals I have talked to, my all time favorite people with whom to discuss breastfeeding, exchange tips, and share stories are other breastfeeding moms.
Because the questions and concerns going through the minds of new breastfeeding moms aren’t always medical or physiological. They usually sound a lot more like this: “How do other families deal with night time wakings? What do other moms do when their families aren’t supportive? Who else has to wake up six times a night to breastfeed? How do you deal with sibling jealousy? How long did it take you to lose your pregnancy weight? What do you do when you hate breastfeeding?”
Every breastfeeding mom has her own breastfeeding experiences that she has become an expert about. Whether it’s how to deal with a plugged milk duct, biting, balancing work and home life, nighttime parenting, tandem nursing or weaning, someone out there has done it and has a story to share. It is through our and other people’s experiences that we gain knowledge and truth. Wisdom is nothing more than learning, knowing, and regurgitating information, no matter who you are.
The only fallback I see in taking advice from other breastfeeding moms is that what works best for some moms will not work best for every mom. We are the lay-professionals here. We may all breastfeed, but we don’t all share the same values and beliefs or comfort levels, so we must always consider that when giving or receiving advice. And moms need to be able to filter out what will work best for them and their family from what won’t. If something doesn’t ring true, they should investigate by doing their own research, whether it’s on-line, in books or by talking to a professional. And I think there is a huge difference between having been a breastfeeding mom for three months as opposed to a year or more. The longer you breastfeed, the more experience you gain and the more knowledge you have to share.
I am purposely not including the routes of becoming a physician, pediatrician, obstetrician, or nurse here because I have learned that as much as we expect them to know about breastfeeding, unless they take extra courses above and beyond what they are taught in school, they receive very little formal training in breastfeeding practice. In my opinion, this is why moms have the breastfeeding problems in hospitals that they do. See Monday Musings: How Hospitals Contribute to Lower Breastfeeding Rates. If you have a problem with breastfeeding, the first people you should contact for the most up-to-date information and support should be a lactation consultant or a La Leche League leader. If your baby is under 8 weeks old and you had a doula or midwife at your birth, they are also good resources. For instance, the photo above shows my midwife checking my second daughter’s latch a couple days after her birth during a routine home visit, with my mom looking on.
*Be sure to check out these other blog posts (to be updated throughout the day)
Mama Saga - on how to breastfeed (or just look like you know what you’re doing)
Motherwear – on how to help your baby kick the nipple shield habit
babyREADY - on how to get your baby to take the bottle (after breastfeeding has already been established!)
The Marketing Mama - on how to pump successfully at work
Strocel – on how to get breastfeeding off to a good start
Baby Carriers Down Under – on how to breastfeed hands free
Breastfeeding Mums - on how to wean a breastfed toddler
Mama Knows Breast – on how to get a spouse to help with breastfeeding
Milk Act - on how to care for a sick nursling
Maher Family Grows - on how to increase breastmilk supply using supplements
Blacktating – on how to treat a cold while breastfeeding
The Bee in Your Bonnet - on how to be comfortable around breastfeeding
Zen Mommy – on how to use Youtube to stop nosey questions
MoBoleez – on how to increase your milk supply naturally
Happy Bambino’s Blog – on how to deal with unsupportive family members
Breastfeeding 1-2-3 – on how to teach your baby nursing manners
Natural Birth and Baby Care - on how to improve milk suppy through nutrition
Tiny Grass – on how to tandem nurse without driving yourself and your nurslings crazy
Related posts:
- Support for Breastfeeding Can Make All The Difference
- Monday Musings: How Hospitals Contribute to Lower Breastfeeding Rates
- Monday Musings: What Are You Doing For World Breastfeeding Awareness Week?
- A Conversation About Breastfeeding in Mongolia and Jack Newman
- Getting The Hang Of Breastfeeding
Tags: IBCLC, La Leche League
I’d often wondered what the route to becoming a certified IBCLC was. Now I know! There are a few people I’d like to pass this onto. Thanks for the informative post.
Steph’s last blog post..How to Breastfeed Hands Free
I love that you included breastfeeding moms in this list! I agree other moms are a wonderful resource.
Missy’s last blog post..Breastfeeding: How to pump successfully at work
[...] Breastfeeding Moms Unite: How to become a breastfeeding support professional [...]
I think that one of the strengths of La Leche League, as an organization, is the balance of mother-to-mother support with research-based information. The meetings I attend are often like a support group for moms, who can share stories and experiences, and gain moral support. I think that most of us who attend LLL regularly do so to connect with other nursing moms, not so much to receive specific breastfeeding help. It’s an easy way to get involved and help out other people who may just need someone to lend an ear, even if you aren’t a leader, but just another nursing mom.
Amber’s last blog post..You Are Your Child’s First Teacher
Yes Amber, you are right. I remember I steered clear of LLL for awhile just because I thought it was a place to go only if you had problems with breastfeeding. Since I didn’t have any physical problems I didn’t feel like I should be going and taking up a leader’s time with my issues of lack of family support and just wanting to meet other breastfeeding moms who might share my parenting values. It’s funny how so many of us have the wrong ideas about LLL. But thank you for pointing out that it is a blance of mom-to-mom support and research-based information. I wanted to say somewhere in my post that being in a LLL meeting is a great place to learn from and gain support from other nursing moms, not only the leaders, as it is where I met most of my nursing friends and learned most of what I know. Thanks for enriching my post with your comment!
I’ve actually thought of becoming an IBCLC. Actually, my husband suggested it- somehow he gets the impression that I love breastfeeding and helping others breastfeed.
I think I’m going to start with LLL and then do the IBCLC stuff, since they consider LLL leaders for the first route.
TopHat’s last blog post..How to be Comfortable Around Breastfeeding
[...] Breastfeeding Moms Unite: How to become a breastfeeding support professional [...]
LOVE this post! I am a lactation specialist and work directly with moms on a daily basis. I started my journey into this kind of work first as a mom who attended La Leche League meetings and then as an LLL Leader. I now teach breastfeeding classes and have since retired (after 10 years) handing the LLL reins to younger moms. I wouldn’t be the mom I am today were it not for my LLL Leader and she is why I want to help moms breastfeed.
[...] – Baby Carriers Downunder How to get breastfeeding off to a good start – Amber at Strocel.com How to become a breastfeeding support professional – Breastfeeding Moms Unite! How to care for a sick nursling – Milk Act How to be comfortable around [...]
[...] Breastfeeding Moms Unite: How to become a breastfeeding support professional [...]
I have wanted to become an IBCLC ever since I had my son and became so passionate about breastfeeding. I wish there was an easier route for people who are not already medical professionals. I simply can’t give up my job in order to do the hours required, which is basically working a full-time job for free! If I had known this was even a career option, I probably would’ve become a nurse and then an LC.
Elita’s last blog post..How to treat a cold while breastfeeding
I am definitely interested in pursuing a career in breastfeeding support–this is why I started training to become a postpartum doula.
For now, though, I am happy being a “breastfeeding advocate.”
What a wonderful and informative post. I attended my first LLL meeting 4 years ago and was so inspired by the strength and character of the breastfeeding women I met that I came back every month since then! Each time I went I came home with a high that stayed with me all day.
I went on to become a LLL Leader so I could provide that opportunity to others (along with help with bfing, too). I just started a group in this rural town I live in, and I’ve see the amazing opportunity women have to come to meetings as a place to not only find more info on bfing, but inspire one another. I’ve had many moms tell me, “I am so grateful LLL is finally here. I’ve lived here 4 years and am finally meeting other moms I can talk to and relate to.” I am glad LLL provides this for women. We need a place to unite together and LLL is here.
Sally Jackson’s last blog post..Birthin’ Utah
Hi, good post. I have been wondering about this topic,so thanks for writing. I’ll definitely be coming back to your posts.
Hi, good post. I have been pondering this issue,so thanks for sharing. I’ll definitely be coming back to your blog. Keep up great writing