any one do it?
how much does it cost?
is it hard?
do i need to have any proper schooling beforehand?
i had a minute to briefly look at the ibclc website but didn't have much time to search to find answers to my questions.
ETA: i have an Associates Degree in Early Childhood Education: Birth thru 5 yrs.
i am thinking about a career change and looking into the medical field. so i am gathering info on areas that interest me and finding out information before i make any decisions.
the hospitals have lc's they are also the L&D nurses. i didn't find any of them helpful when i was struggling with bfing my son. there was a gal who was getting hours for becoming a LC at the county HD and she was helpful.
the L&D ones don't seem to want to deal with anything outside of a newborn in the hospital. and certainly didn't want to answer questions about someone else wanting to become one...
i will keep researching and find out what career path will best suit me.
It can be tough to do if you're not already in the birthing field, because there is (at least, I assume there still is) a requirement as part of your training to do 1000 hours of working with breastfeeding moms, hard to do if you're not an L&d nurse, a midwife, a doula, etc.
Well, I did a little search and you don't have to be a nurse but there are credentials required. If you do not have the credentials, then you would not be eligible to even take the exam.
Clinical Competencies for the lactation consultant can be found on the IBLCE web site. They include the following areas : anatomy and physiology, sociology, psychology, counseling, communication skills, child development, nutrition and medical terminology.
When I had my daughter, one of the LCs that helped me was not a nurse but was certified. She told me that and showed me her ID when she first came to help.
Are you an RN already? Or a nurse-midwife? IBCLCs are usually degreed nursing professionals who obtain LC credentials on top of the ones they already hold. If you do not have a background in OB already, getting your LC is unlikely to be enough on its own.
Why don't you simply ask a lactation consultant? Seems like that's where you'd get the best, most current information. They are listed in the "phone book" like any other professional.
