Meet a Certified Lactation Counselor
Certified lactation counselors play a crucial role in supporting mothers, newborns, and their families by offering guidance and education about breastfeeding. In this article, you will find insights into how to become a certified lactation counselor. Embarking on the journey of parenthood is a profound experience, but it can also come with unexpected challenges, especially when it comes to breastfeeding or chestfeeding.
Certified lactation counselors (CLCs) step in to assist parents facing difficulties with lactation and breastfeeding. Their role involves assessing breastfeeding issues, offering solutions, and managing breastfeeding-related discomfort. CLCs find immense satisfaction in helping new parents establish a strong bond with their infants.
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Kealy Hawk, a registered nurse (RN) and CLC, shares her perspective on working as a lactation counselor. In the following interview, she discusses the rewards and challenges of being a CLC and provides valuable advice based on her experience. Keep reading to gain insights from Hawk’s expertise.
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Q: What is a certified lactation counselor, and why is this role important?
A certified lactation counselor is trained to assess and provide support for lactating women. They must possess knowledge of breast anatomy and physiology, breastfeeding assessment, troubleshooting common breastfeeding challenges, human milk composition, and hormone and endocrine functions. After training, passing an examination is required to demonstrate competence.
The role is crucial because breastfeeding can be challenging. Although breastfeeding offers numerous evidence-based benefits, many mothers struggle to continue without assistance. This is where certified lactation counselors come into play.
Q: Is there a distinction between a CLC and a certified breastfeeding counselor (CBC)?
A CBC is similar to a CLC but explicitly recognizes the nurse’s specialized role in breastfeeding education and support. To obtain a CBC certification, you must be an RN.
Q: Is a nursing or medical background necessary to become a CLC?
While most CLCs have a background in nursing or medicine, it is not a strict requirement. There is a comprehensive five-day training course that imparts in-depth knowledge to ensure certification candidates are competent. While the course is not mandatory to sit for the CLC examination, it does prepare individuals for the exam.
Q: What motivated you to become a CLC and support new mothers?
I became interested in becoming a CLC when I was pregnant with my first child and had just graduated from nursing school. As a military spouse facing a move, I couldn’t commit to a traditional job with a fixed term of employment. After experiencing breastfeeding challenges with my own baby, I decided to learn as much as possible about breastfeeding. I became a CLC and started my own business to provide the support I wished I had as a new mother. It’s my passion, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.
Q: Can you describe a typical day as a CLC?
My day-to-day routine can vary significantly. This is one of the drawbacks of my job, especially since I run a startup business. There are times of high demand and times of scarcity. The maximum number of clients I’ve worked with simultaneously is around four or five.
Sometimes, a patient reaches out to me with a breastfeeding issue, and after a single virtual consultation, we can find a solution. Other times, the situation is more complex and requires ongoing support. On average, I work with a patient for about 1-2 months, typically during the newborn phase when mother and baby are learning to breastfeed.
My primary role is to provide support. Drawing on my RN background, I assess the mother-baby dyad comprehensively, considering factors like jaundice, weight gain, and medical history. By gathering thorough information, I tailor solutions to breastfeeding challenges and offer emotional support. This can range from advice on increasing milk supply to guidance on latching and positioning, and in some cases, referral to other medical professionals.
Q: What are the major rewards and challenges of working with new mothers in this capacity?
Working with new mothers is incredibly rewarding. Witnessing a mother overcome breastfeeding challenges and achieve success is truly gratifying. Many mothers simply need reassurance that they’re doing well, given that breastfeeding, though natural, can be challenging. I didn’t realize this as a new mother, so being able to relate and provide support is valuable. Another rewarding aspect is that I can work from home while caring for my children.
Running my own business poses some challenges, particularly the administrative tasks associated with managing a website and finding clients who need assistance. Once I’m working with a mother, I feel in my element. The initial challenge is reaching those mothers who require help.
Q: How can one become a CLC?
There are various pathways to becoming a CLC, but all routes involve passing the CLC examination. Individuals can achieve this by meeting prerequisites, completing an accredited lactation program, or attending a five-day training course provided by the Healthy Children Project. The comprehensive course pathway is a popular choice, particularly for those lacking a relevant educational background.
Q: What advice would you offer nurses considering this path?
If you have a passion for supporting postpartum mothers and newborns, pursuing this pathway is exceptionally rewarding. Starting your own business requires determination, but you can still work as an RN and CLC in a hospital or clinic setting. This way, you can help numerous mothers and babies within a traditional environment. If you
have an entrepreneurial spirit and wish to work independently, establishing a private practice in lactation counseling offers a fulfilling option.
Understanding the Role of a Certified Lactation Counselor
The Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP) outlines the knowledge and skills that CLCs acquire through training and apply in their work. Key responsibilities and skills include:
- Collaboration within a healthcare team
- Dispensing evidence-based information on breastfeeding and medications
- Offering counseling, education, and support competently
Assisting and advising family members - Advocating for public health strategies that promote, protect, and support breastfeeding
- Maintaining ethical documentation in accordance with ALPP’s guidelines
- Adhering to professional behavioral and ethical standards while coordinating care
- Identifying behavioral, cultural, physical, and social factors contributing to complex breastfeeding experiences
CLCs can find employment across various settings, including hospital maternity units, birth centers, neonatal intensive care units, outpatient lactation clinics, physician and midwife offices, and private practices.
Becoming a Certified Lactation Counselor: Steps to Follow
Individuals aspiring to be lactation counselors can achieve certification by meeting ALPP’s competence standards, passing the CLC examination, and adhering to ALPP’s ethical code. Candidates have three pathways to choose from:
- Comprehensive Course Pathway:
Complete an ALPP-approved breastfeeding counseling training course, a 52-hour course that covers breastfeeding management, practical hospital skills, and strategies for unique circumstances. Pass the CLC exam, and renew certification every three years through continuing education. - Health Professional Pathway:
Hold a health professional license, complete at least 45 hours of education aligned with WHO/UNICEF guidelines, and gain supervised lactation care experience to demonstrate mastery. - CAATE Pathway: Graduate from a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs-approved lactation program.
For many candidates, the comprehensive course pathway is ideal, especially if they lack relevant education and professional backgrounds. The pathway involves registering for an ALPP-approved breastfeeding counseling training course, completing the 52-hour course, taking the CLC exam, and renewing certification every three years through continuing education.
Earnings of Certified Lactation Counselors
According to PayScale, CLCs earn an average annual salary of $58,430 as of June 2021. Earnings vary based on factors like location, demand, educational background, and prior experience.
RNs considering a career as CLCs may anticipate higher earnings, especially if they possess previous RN work experience. As of 2020, RNs had a median annual salary of $75,330, as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
$31.61
Average Hourly Wage
Source: PayScale (June 2021)
$58,430
Average Annual Salary
Source: PayScale (June 2021)
Differentiating Certified Lactation Counselors from Other Lactation Specialties
Additional lactation certification options include becoming an international board-certified lactation consultant (IBCLC) or pursuing Breastfeeding Counselor Certification (CBC).
How to Become a Neonatal Nurse
IBCLCs perform duties similar to CLCs but must hold healthcare professional licenses.
To become an IBCLC, a healthcare professional must complete 90 hours of education in human lactation or breastfeeding, gain 1,000 hours of lactation-specific clinical experience, and pass the IBCLC exam.
CBC certification is a specialty within nursing. CBC nurses provide counseling and education in lactation management. Licensed RNs can attain lactation consultant certification by working with lactating individuals for a year or completing a two-day lactation management course and taking the Prepared Childbirth Educators’ CBC exam.
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