- 1). Contact lactation consultants to make sure you understand what the job requires and to be sure that you can perform the duties. Breastfeeding counsel is often provided by a "doula" -- a trained consultant who provides physical and emotional support and information to women before, during and after the birth of their child. Dona International, an organization that assists childbirth professionals, claims that mothers who consult a doula during pregnancy and after the baby's birth often have an easier time getting their babies to breastfeed.
- 2). Decide which certification pathway you will follow to become a certified lactation consultant. The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners is a worldwide certification body. The IBLCE has isolated three "pathways" for certification that depend upon the applicant's level of education. For example, if you attend one of Washington State's approved schools of nursing and help families who are working through the breastfeeding stage, you are on your way to completing Pathway 1.
- 3). Study for the IBLCE exam and complete pre-certification requirements. The Simkin Center, a Seattle-area organization that helps men and women assist new parents in many ways, administers a five-day Professional Education in Breastfeeding and Lactation course that will satisfy part of your IBLCE requirements.
- 4). Complete your clinical experience requirements. Lactation Education Resources lists many options. You can teach a breastfeeding class, work on a postpartum hospital unit, help new mothers learn how to use a breast pump, serve at the offices of pediatricians or even offer your advice to clients of your local health department.
- 5). Pass your IBLCE examination. The exam is administered every year on the last Monday in July. Exams are given in every state, including Washington.
- 6). Find employment at a hospital or medical center, or go into business on your own. Consultants such as Redmond's Debra Shelden, for example, don't work with specific hospitals, and pregnant women can arrange for her services on their own. On the other hand, the Swedish Medical Center in Issaquah, Washington, requires their lactation consultants to be registered nurses, in addition to having IBCLC certifications.
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