Become an IBCLC

Education + Mentorship = Certification

Becoming a great IBCLC means going above and beyond merely meeting requirements and passing exams. It means building a lifelong desire to continually improve services for parents and their infants in a professional manner and to foster the collaboration and teamwork among others who assist them.

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners IBCLE is the body that sets the requirements for board certification. While there are many short cram courses that might be cobbled together in such a way that it is possible to pass the exam for becoming a lactation consultant, a comprehensive course facilitated by practicing lactation consultants such as that offered by the Association for IBCLC Certification is likely to be more effective and enriching.

The New York Lactation Consultant Association offers a variety of events such as conferences, workshops, and meetings to gain additional credits towards your board certification. The intensive workshops in the Masters of Lactation Series, provide an opportunity for interns and others who wish to hone their skills to meet in small, interactive groups with various "masters" of lactation. This provides a setting in which to augment the basics with much more detailed and focused learning.

Course work is necessary but not sufficient to becoming an effective lactation consultant. Experience matters; not just your own personal experiences with breastfeeding, but working with women who may have a very different perspectives and personal experiences than your own. NYLCA can assist you by creating opportunities to intern with mentors.