Ibclc

[randomacts]

A little background, I have been trying to find my passion in life for a while now, since I quit my (horrible) job to raise my son. I love being a SAHM, but I would love to do something that I feel passionately about, so I have been doing research. What I feel absolutely certain about is my love of BFing and our need (society) for natural birth experiences.

So, I have decided that I want to take steps towards becoming a midwife/LC. I would like to become LC certified before I start the midwifery classes. Can anyone help me do this? I know we have several of both on these forums (Lucky me!!) and I was wondering if I could get some help from yall and how you did it. I am in Texas if that makes any difference.

TIA!!

[sparklefairy]

http://www.iblce.org/

[Artemnesia]

What's up random!! Fancy meeting you here.

Here are a few links if you are interested in becoming an IBCLC...

http://www.ilca.org/
http://www.iblce.org/

If you have any questions shoot away...

[JS686]

I to have been very intersted in trying to become a IBCLC. I do have one question if someone would be able to take the time and answer it. I'm not in the medical field so I'm trying to figure out how to get the HUGE amount of required hours it takes to be able to take the IBCLC test. I was thinking I could voluteer with WIC. My question is that I'm not sure if I should take one of the online classes to become a Lactation Consultant and if I did; what work would that qualify me for? Just trying to figure out the best way to get hours if your not in the medical field already.

Thanks for any help!

[Lil'M]

I work as an LC for WIC and we don't have anybody volunteer (I'm new so I don't even know if that's allowed), but WIC trains bf moms to become peer counselors and hires them. While peer counselors are often WIC clients that are asked to become peer counselors, I would still call your local WIC office and see if they are looking to train another peer counselor and could you meet with them to talk about it.

You could also get involved with La Leche League. Leaders get credit for 500 contact hours for every year they are a Leader. Of course the path to Leadership can take a few years--especially for someone who is not currently attending LLL meetings.

Being an LC is a wonderful thing, but it is a profession that takes a considerable amount of work and study to get to. Without already being a health professional, any of the possible paths would take several years. Online coursework simply helps acquire the required continuing education units. Contact hours helping bfing moms are still necessary. It is similar to getting licensed as a therapist: you can go to school and get a degree in psychology, or counseling, or social work, but you can't become licensed without a significant number of supervised therapy hours.

[JS686]

I was thinking that if I took one of the online classes and got certified as a LC I could then be qualified to do some work to get some hours to become a IBCLC. When researching I see alot of people with just LC behind their name and not IBCLC. I know that IBCLC is the gold standard but since I'm starting from scratch I was thinking becoming a LC would give me opportunities to work with mothers and their babies. I don't know it just seems really hard to get the required hours. I called the WIC in my area and they said that the state is on a hiring freeze. Do you work with WIC full time or is it just a part time job? Is the pay enough to help support the family or is it minimum wage? Also, are you certified as a IBCLC and if so what course did you take for the lactation training? Sorry for so many questions just trying to figure out what road to take too a better career!!

[Lil'M]

JS686: I PM'd you.

[Momma2SoSweet]

Lil'M, could you PM me the details that you PM'd JS686? I am also so very interested in becoming a LC and am not in the medical field. While I do have the time for it to take 'several years' (I'm a 23 y/o sahm with one child) I am a little lost on how to get there. I'm back in school, working on some background education and I plan on joining my local LLL soon. TIA.

[julie128]

Here's one: http://www.bsccenter.org/