23/02/2026
“Anyone can be a lactation consultant.”
I hear this a lot — and I want to gently clear it up.
To become an IBCLC, the gold standard in lactation care, it requires:
• Years of education
• Hundreds to thousands of clinical hours
• Supervised mentorship
• Rigorous continuing education
• A comprehensive international board exam
This work involves anatomy, physiology, infant development, oral function, maternal health, mental health, and critical decision-making — often when families are vulnerable and exhausted.
There are multiple pathways to become an IBCLC:
Pathway 1
• For licensed health professionals (RN, MD, SLP, dietitian, etc.)
• Requires lactation-specific education and supervised clinical hours, but not by an IBCLC
• Builds on an existing medical license
Pathway 2
• For students enrolled in an accredited lactation program
• Structured coursework and integrated clinical training
• Often completed through universities or formal programs
Pathway 3 (my path)
• A highly individualized, mentored route
• Requires finding an IBCLC mentor
• 1,000+ supervised clinical hours
• Extensive self-directed education
• Ongoing evaluations and documentation
• No shortcuts — just time, commitment, and accountability
No matter the pathway, thousands of hours go into education and practice, Continuing education is required to maintain certification, A comprehensive international board exam must be passed.
Yes, many people can support breastfeeding. But an IBCLC is trained to assess, problem-solve, and guide complex feeding challenges safely and ethically.
But becoming an IBCLC means being trained to assess, problem-solve, and guide complex feeding challenges safely and ethically.
Lactation care is healthcare.
