How do you become a lactation consultant?

Question

do you have to be an RN? how much schooling is it to become a LC and is it possible to do online?

Answer 1

I've always heard you have to be an RN.

Answer 2

No you can't do it online, you have to work with nursing mothers.  You have to have so many hours of working with nursing mothers and it is a lot.

IBCLC is the organization for lactation consultants.  They have all the requirements on their site.  You have to have a bachelor's degree.  There are less requirements as an RN than if you have just a bachelor's degree in something else.  Then you have to take the exam to get certified.  

www.ibclc.org

Answer 3

There is an organization that does exams and certifies lactation consultants. LCs are usually RNs, but I don't think that it's necessarily a requirement.

Check out http://www.iblce.org/home.php

Answer 4

There are a numerous amount of 'pathways' that you can take to become a LC. No you do not have to be a RN to become a LC. A bachelors degree decreases the amount of hours that you need (contact breastfeeding). For example a person with an AAS degree needs to have around (don't quote me exactly) 3500 hours. This hours are time that you have spent working with breastfeeding. You can go to http://www.ilca.org/examprep.html for step by step instructions. There is also a 5 day course that you can take to be a lactation counselor.