Introduction
If you’re passionate about helping mothers and babies achieve healthy breastfeeding journeys, becoming a lactation consultant may be the perfect career path for you. Lactation consultants play a crucial role in helping new moms overcome breastfeeding challenges, offering guidance to expectant mothers, and helping mothers meet their breastfeeding goals.
However, becoming a lactation consultant requires a specific set of skills, including excellent communication, patience, compassion, and a keen understanding of how breastfeeding works. This guide offers you everything you need to know about becoming a lactation consultant, including step-by-step instructions, success stories, best practices, and a troubleshooting guide.
Step-by-Step Guide
Definition and Role
Before diving into the specific steps to become a lactation consultant, it’s essential to understand the definition and role of a lactation consultant. A lactation consultant is a trained professional who provides breastfeeding guidance and support to women during all stages of breastfeeding. This guidance includes education and training on the proper latch and positioning, advice on dealing with common breastfeeding issues, and assistance with breastfeeding equipment. Lactation consultants may work in hospitals, private practices, or as independent consultants.
Educational Requirements
To become a lactation consultant, you will need to meet certain educational requirements. Typically, lactation consultants are obligated to complete a certain number of lactation-specific courses, hold a certification, and a degree in healthcare.
Several courses are available that aim to educate aspiring lactation consultants about the science of breastfeeding, common complications, and growth and development. These courses can be taken in-person or online, and most programs take several months or years to complete. Some of the most reputable courses include:
- Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC)
- International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE)
- United States Lactation Consultant Association (USLCA)
In addition to lactation-specific courses, most lactation consultants hold an associate or a bachelor’s degree in a healthcare-related field.
Exam Requirements
The most recognized certification for lactation consultants is the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) exam. This exam is highly rigorous and covers a broad range of topics related to breastfeeding. Before becoming eligible to take the exam, you must meet the following requirements:
- Complete at least 90 hours of education in Lactation
- Gain at least 300 hours of supervised experience in lactation
- Have a degree in a healthcare-related field
Options for Gaining Experience
Once you have completed your educational and certification requirements, gaining experience is the next step in becoming a lactation consultant. There are several options available to gain experience, including internships, volunteer programs, and mentorship opportunities. These are essential steps in building professional relationships and gaining hands-on experience in lactation.
Internship programs can help you gain practical experience in a professional setting, such as hospitals or clinics. Additionally, volunteering programs allow you to work alongside experienced lactation consultants and gain valuable insights into their day-to-day work.
Mentorship opportunities are also a great way to gain insights, tips, and strategies from seasoned lactation consultants. By working with a mentor, you can tap into their experience and knowledge and receive personalized feedback on your work.
Building a Client Base
Marketing yourself as a lactation consultant is an essential step in building a successful practice. In a world where many families are struggling to find the support they need, marketing your services and building a client base is a strategic way to help those in need.
Reasons clients may consider hiring a lactation consultant range from preparing for feeding to dealing with common breastfeeding challenges such as latching issues and low milk supply. They may also need guidance on managing mastitis, thrush, or other infections. Additionally, some infants may have specific medical conditions that require guidance related to breastfeeding.
To build a successful practice, it’s essential to create a strong marketing strategy. Consider creating a website that offers information about your services and pricing. Utilize social media to reach clients and offer personalized guidance and support. Other strategies include attending breastfeeding support groups and professional leagues to expand your network and reach.
Success Story
Profile of a Successful Lactation Consultant
Lactation consultant and advocate, Melissa, found her calling as an IBCLC after observing countless unsuccessful breastfeeding challenges with mothers and babies at the hospital where she worked. According to her, “Too many times, I watched a baby struggling to latch while the mother was grabbed and manipulated by well-meaning nurses…” She yearned to move beyond these ineffective practices and use her skills to help mothers and babies through the breastfeeding journey.
After earning a degree in Public Health, Melissa knew that lactation was her calling. She went on to complete her doula training and began working closely with breastfeeding families. With every family she helped, from busy mothers and working moms to stay-at-home mothers and single parents, Melissa felt more energized and passionate about the importance of providing the appropriate support and guidance to every mother and baby that is breastfeeding.
Key Traits for Success
Being a lactation consultant requires a specific set of skills and traits. Compassion, patience, and excellent communication skills are critical traits for success. Being a good listener and tailoring your guidance to each client’s needs is paramount. Lactation consultants should be able to discuss and demonstrate proper breastfeeding techniques, troubleshoot any difficulties, and create a comfortable, safe, and welcoming environment for clients. They should have a comprehensive understanding of the anatomy of breastfeeding and how it applies to different situations.
What a Typical Day Looks Like
On a typical day, lactation consultants will meet with clients one on one, offering guidance in feeding and supporting mothers through their breastfeeding journey. However, consulting work doesn’t end there, they follow up on client cases, including scheduling follow-up appointments as necessary. A lot of work goes into preparing for appointments, such as compiling information for the first meeting, taking phone calls to book new clients, and performing administrative tasks. Furthermore, if they run their practice, they would have to address managing any healthcare risks during breastfeeding; the readiness of mothers for breastfeeding and assessing newborn infants’ health associated with breastfeeding.
Lactation consultants often work independently, running private practices. However, some may work in hospitals or clinics as staff lactation consultants or run larger-scale operations.
Best Practices
Certifications and Insurance Options
To gain credibility and ensure that you’re upholding certain standards as a lactation consultant, it’s beneficial to obtain some form of certification in lactation support. Many reputable organizations offer lactation-specific certifications, such as the Exam in Lactation Counseling (ELC) and Certified Lactation Consultant (CLC) certification, in addition to the IBLCE certification.
To protect your practice and limit personal liabilities, obtaining an insurance policy is also recommended—this policy can offer coverage for general and professional liabilities.
Business Strategies
A successful practice requires several business strategies. Consider creating a business plan that outlines your objectives, service offerings, and revenue streams. Utilize digital marketing strategies such as a website, social media platforms and sending newsletters to current and potential clients. Administratively, it’s essential to ensure that client intake forms are available, invoicing is organized, appointment reminders are sent, and records are kept consistently.
Collaboration with other healthcare providers is also beneficial to establish referral relationships, allowing you to help mothers and babies that require your services.
Troubleshooting Guide
Handling Challenging Clients
As with any client-service professions, different clients come with different challenges. Some mothers may be struggling with post-partum depression, others with medical conditions affecting breastfeeding. In these cases, empathy, compassion, and finding an individualized approach in their care is crucial. In general, it’s essential to listen, evaluate and offer appropriate guidance and support.
Managing Difficult Breastfeeding Situations
Some of the challenging situations lactation consultants face include nipple trauma, insulin-dependent diabetes, low milk supply, among others. They will typically make sure to take enough time to understand the situation and work with clients to develop a feasible solution. They may offer guidance on lactation techniques, prescribe medical treatment, or refer clients to appropriate professionals, like a pediatrician or dermatologist.
Navigating Legal Issues
Lactation consultants must abide by ethical and legal guidelines when rendering breastfeeding assistance. Some of the potential ethical issues that may arise include respecting clients’ privacy and confidentiality, handling emergencies accurately, and billing correctly. For instance, in regards to documentations and referrals, they should seek expert guidance from fellow members of the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA).
Case Studies
To gain an understanding of how lactation consultants meet the unique needs of various clients across different situations, we offer a series of case studies that explore some common breastfeeding obstacles and how a lactation consultant provided insight, and contained the situation.
Case 1: Latching Issues
Laura, a new mother, was struggling to get her infant to latch properly. A visit with a lactation consultant provided clarity and guidance for the position and latch of her infant and improved the situation as Laura practiced it at home.
Case 2: Poor Weight Gain
After several weeks of breastfeeding, Nina’s infant wasn’t gaining the appropriate weight, which is one of the most significant indicators of breastfeeding success in infants. A lactation consultant discovered that the baby’s latch wasn’t deep enough, and their plan included deeply ingraining the appropriate latch techniques.
Case 3: Pumping Challenges
Anna, a working mother, was returning to work and was struggling to establish a comfortable rhythm for pumping and milk production. A lactation consultant advised her on pacing and scheduling pumping sessions appropriately and taught her tips and tricks to improve the process, leading to a better breastfeeding experience.
Conclusion
Becoming a lactation consultant is an admirable profession for anyone inclined to genuinely assist women and their children with breastfeeding. With the right education, certification, and experience, coupled with the necessary traits, patience and compassion, you can have a thriving practice and provide invaluable support for the breastfeeding community. By utilizing the best practices, troubleshooting, and collaboration with other healthcare professionals, your business will consistently impact the lives of families while contributing positively to their lives.
