Lactation Professional Articles

  • What are the IBCLC Pathways?  How do I decide which is right for me?

The IBCLC – International Board Certified Lactation Consultant is considered the highest accredited credential in the Lactation field internationally. Therefore, it is aspired by serious professionals in the field, who wish to elevate their breastfeeding knowledge, enhance their professional profile, and support breastfeeding for the most acute cases. 

To become a Lactation Consultant, one must complete the IBLCE (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners) exam. To be eligible to attempt the examination, one may pursue one of three pathways (Pathway 1, Pathway 2, or Pathway 3) to meet the key eligibility components of the IBCLC.

Pathway 1 – Recognised Health Professionals and Recognised Breastfeeding Support Counsellors. 

It has 2 requirements to be fulfilled:

  1. Minimum of 95 hours of lactation-specific education, including five hours focused on communication skills, within the five years immediately before examination application.
  2. Minimum of 1000 hours of lactation-specific clinical practice in an appropriate supervised setting within the five years before the examination application.

Pathway 2 – Accredited Lactation Academic Programmes

This has 4 requirements to be fulfilled:

  1. Complete a comprehensive academic program in human lactation and breastfeeding which is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or another accrediting body with equivalent accreditation standards for lactation academic programs. The program must be accredited at the time of the candidate’s completion. These comprehensive lactation academic programs are university or college-based, include both didactic and clinical components, and require health sciences education, whether as a prerequisite or as education that must be earned concurrently, before completion of the academic program.
  2. Minimum of 95 hours of lactation-specific education, including five hours focused on communication skills, within the five years before the examination application.
  3. Minimum of 300 hours of directly supervised lactation-specific clinical practice within the five years immediately before the examination application.

Pathway 3: Mentorship with an IBCLC. 

This has 4 requirements to be fulfilled:

  1. Complete a structured, defined mentorship with an IBCLC(s), according to the specifications found in the Pathway 3 Plan Guide, which must be preapproved, including 500 hours of directly supervised lactation-specific clinical practice. All Pathway 3 Plans MUST be verified through an application process (which includes a fee) before earning clinical hours for this Pathway. The IBCLC(s) who would provide direct supervision must be currently certified IBCLCs in good standing.
  2. Minimum of 95 hours of lactation-specific education, including five hours of education focused on communication skills, within the five years immediately before the examination application.
  3. A minimum of 500 hours of directly supervised lactation-specific clinical practice as described in the Pathway 3 Plan Guide and obtained within the five years before the examination.

It is worth noting that the code of professional conduct applies to all the above Pathways – https://ibclc-commission.org/ibclc-information/code-of-professional-conduct-for-ibclcs/

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