What Is An IBCLC?

• IBCLC means International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. This is the highest certification a lactation consultant can hold. 
• Some interesting data to consider is how the number of IBCLCs has increased in the US. In 2012 there was a total of 13300 IBCLCs, and that number increased to 18,532 in 2022. That is almost a 40% increase. This growing need has allowed many RN’s and other healthcare providers to become IBCLC Certified. 
• IBCLCs work in a variety of settings, but provide the same type of education to mothers about breastfeeding, pumping, and baby development. 

Are You Wondering What Is an IBCLC?

It means International Board Certified Lactation Consultant. This is the highest certification a lactation consultant can hold. 

IBLCE (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners) defines an IBCLC as: “International Board Certified Lactation Consultants function and contribute as members of the maternal-child health team. They provide care in a variety of settings, while making appropriate referrals to other health professionals and community support resources.  

Working together with mothers, families, policymakers and society, IBCLC certificants provide expert breastfeeding and lactation care, promote changes that support breastfeeding and help reduce the risks of not breastfeeding.” 

In the past few years there has been a considerable increase in demand for support of breastfeeding mothers. Many hospitals have increased the number of Lactation Consultants they have on staff.  

Having lactation consultants on staff also helps hospitals meet The Joint Commission’s perinatal care measure: Exclusive Breast Milk Feeding.  

Some interesting data to consider is how the number of IBCLCs has increased in the US. In 2012 there was a total of 13300 IBCLCs, and that number increased to 18,532 in 2022. That is almost a 40% increase.  

This growing need has allowed many RN’s and other healthcare providers to become IBCLC Certified.  

How Does One Become An IBCLC?

There are several steps to take in order to be eligible to register for the examination.  

In order to be able to take the exam to become a IBCLC, you have to meet eligibility criteria in three areas, you can read more about them here: 

• Health sciences education.  
• Lactation specific Education. 
• Lactation specific clinical experience. 
  

And once you’ve met all three you become eligible to register for the examination.  

This exam is available worldwide 2 times per year and once you are certified you need to recertify through lactation specific continuing education every 5 years.

History Behind IBCLC

Let’s start with a bit of history. You may be wondering how IBLCE came to be. 

On their website they share: “The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) was founded in March 1985 using a $40,000 loan from La Leche League International as start-up funding. IBLCE’s founding was in response to the need for standards in the emerging profession of lactation consulting. This new profession had arisen during the 1970’s and 80’s in response to the need and request from mothers for specialized breastfeeding care.” 

If you’d like to read more of their history you can click here. 

La Leche League is a worldwide organization that offers peer to peer (mother to mother) support for breastfeeding women. Many la leche league leaders also become IBCLC certified and vice versa. 

On their website this is what La Leche League has as part of their history:  

“La Leche League International was formed in 1956, in Franklin Park, IL by a group of seven mothers who wanted to provide breastfeeding help and support to interested women. Two mothers, Mary White and Marian Tompson, were breastfeeding their children at a church picnic and many other women expressed interest, or told them how they had wanted to breastfeed but failed. 

Breastfeeding was not encouraged by the medical establishment at the time and not practiced widely enough for women who wanted to breastfeed to have practical support. Realizing there was a need for information and support, Mary and Marian enlisted the help of five of their friends and acquaintances and the seven began to hold meetings. The Founders of LLLI were Mary Ann Cahill, Edwina Froehlich, Mary Ann Kerwin, Viola Lennon, Marian Tompson, Betty Wagner, and Mary White”.

Where Can an IBCLC Work?

As an IBCLC you have many options some are listed here: 

• Private practice either seeing clients, teaching classes or both. In person, online, in office and/or a combination of the above. 
• Work in a hospital providing inpatient or outpatient consults.  
• Work with pediatric clinics, pediatric dental offices, pediatric ENT’s, etc.   
• Many state funded Womens and Children programs hire IBCLCs 
• Remote freelance work. There are companies that will hire IBCLC’s to offer lactation consults online as well as classes online. 
• Teaching aspiring IBCLC’s and/or medical professionals.
  

Most people grow up thinking that breastfeeding is natural and therefore easy.  

While some babies do latch on easily, breastfeeding definitely has a learning curve. Taking a class and/or scheduling a few postpartum visits can help moms feel supported as their baby grows.  

Moms after delivery are getting to know their new baby, they might be tired, they have a lot of people coming in and out of their room (OBGYN, anesthesiologist, pediatrician or neonatologist, mom’s nurse, baby’s nurse, PCA, a birth registrar, a hearing screen tech, etc just to name a few).  

Mom might also be receiving phone calls and text from family or even visits to the hospital and in the middle of this, the lactation consultant is providing as much support/education as she can.  

The hospital stay is the short window a mom will have access to a IBCLC in hospital. Patients after delivery tend to only be in the hospital 48 to 72 hours. So in many cases it can be recommended to schedule a visit with an IBCLC after being discharged.  

Many IBCLC’s are in network for insurance or can offer a super bill for each client to submit to insurance for reimbursement, so checking with insurance before the visit can help to plan accordingly. 

If a hospital has a breastfeeding class in many cases insurance might cover the cost (again check with your insurance) and these classes can teach parents some basic breastfeeding information. 

IBCLC Class Offerings

Some classes might include: 

• What to expect the first few days of a baby’s life. 
• What colostrum is (mom’s first milk) and how much a newborn baby needs to feed  per day of life as well as the infant’s stomach size. 
• How to position a baby and how to achieve a deep latch. (This helps decrease pain and increase how much milk a baby is able to transfer). 
• How to know if the baby is getting enough milk. 
• Signs that the baby is transferring milk correctly. 
• Expectations for that first week or two. 
• How to handle engorgement (when mom’s milk volume increases).
  

Some hospitals have a pumping class or going back to work class as well. 

This class would aim to teach moms all about pumping, including: 

• How a pump works and the difference between electric and manual pumps (including when to choose each one). 
• How often to pump, for how long and why that matters. 
• When to introduce a bottle. 
• How to introduce a bottle to decrease bottle preference and to protect/support breastfeeding. 
• How to clean pump parts. 
• How to store breast milk. 
• Flange sizing guidelines.  Lately there has been a lot more awareness about how important flange sizing is. (Flanges are the plastic shields that go to the breast) The right size flange can help empty the breast and decrease discomfort.  

In some cases IBCLCs can help moms find a good pumping routine once they go back to work. 

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