Want to become an IBCLC?
Becoming an IBCLC & Beyond
Becoming an IBCLC is no easy or quick feat. Often people have a difficult time navigating the process. We have created a support group for giving advice and asking questions called Becoming an IBCLC & Beyond that you can check out here.
A GUIDE TO BECOMING AN IBCLC
There are three available pathways on the IBCLE website, but only you can determine which pathway works for you and your situation. Some people are located outside of the US ruling out Pathway 2 as an option, some don’t have an IBCLC nearby willing to mentor them ruling out Pathway 3.
Pathway 1
Pathway 1: Recognised Health Professionals and/or Recognised Breastfeeding Support Counsellors (You do not have to be a healthcare professional to take this pathway.)
This pathway is for Recognized Health Professionals and Recognized Breastfeeding Support Counselors. Pathway 1 requires you to obtain a minimum of 1000 hours of lactation-specific clinical practice in an appropriate supervised setting within five years prior to exam application. These settings can include a hospital, birth center, community clinic, lactation care clinic/practice, or a primary care practitioner’s practice/office. For licensed/registered healthcare professionals in non-healthcare settings, clinical practice hours can be earned through independent practice. If you are a recognized healthcare professional, this will automatically satisfy the 14 health science courses’ requirements.
If you are not a recognized healthcare professional, you can still earn your clinical practice hours through an approved organization as a recognized breastfeeding support counselor. To earn hours as a recognized breastfeeding support counselor, you must be an approved member of one of the organizations recognized by IBLCE here. Through January 2022, hours are given at a flat rate per year and starting next year will be counted on an hour for hour basis.
Pathway 2
Pathway 2: Accredited Lactation Academic Programmes (Available in the US only currently.)
For this pathway, one must complete a comprehensive academic program in human lactation and breastfeeding accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) or another accrediting body with equivalent accreditation standards. These programs are university or college-based and include both didactic and clinical components and require health sciences education, whether as a prerequisite or as education before completing the academic program.
These programs must contain a minimum of 95 hours of lactation-specific education, including five hours focused on communication skills, within the five years immediately prior to examination application. They must also provide a minimum of 300 hours of directly supervised lactation-specific clinical practice within the five years immediately prior to examination application.
Pathway 3
Pathway 3: Mentorship with an IBCLC
One of the more common pathways is a mentorship with an IBCLC. This requires the applicant to obtain a minimum of 95 hours of lactation specific education, including five hours of education focused on communication skills, within the five years immediately prior to examination application as well as 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 immediately prior to examination. The IBCLC(s) who serve as the mentor(s) must be currently certified IBCLCs in good standing.
Before beginning a mentorship with an IBCLC, there is a Pathway 3 Application that must be submitted to and approved by IBLCE. In addition to the mentorship application, the mentor must also complete the Mentorship Agreement Form. Hours are then tracked in a log provided by IBLCE. All the necessary paperwork can be located in the Pathway 3 Plan Guide.
Countries are divided into three tiers, dependent on which country you reside in your pathway 3 application fee will vary. For tier 1 countries the fee is $100, tier 2 countries have a $75 fee, and tier 3 is $50.
The IBCLC exam tests the application of knowledge in the disciplines listed on the IBCLC Detailed Content Outline. The IBCLC examination consists of 175 multiple-choice questions. The examination is given in two parts, and once you have completed Part One, you may not go back to that part. Most questions in Part Two are associated with an image. The standard IBCLC examination is of four hours duration.
Health Sciences Education
14 Health Sciences
IBCLE provides a general list as to commonly recognized healthcare professionals which includes dentist, dietician, midwife, nurse, occupational therapist, pharmacist, physical therapist or physiotherapist, physician or medical doctor, speech pathologist or therapist. However, this list is not all-inclusive. Positions recognized by your local government as a healthcare professional may be considered as well.
For someone who isn’t a recognized health professional, 14 health sciences are required to be completed prior to applying to sit the exam. Eight of which must be a minimum of one academic credit session (e.g., semester, trimester, quarter, etc.) in length and provided by an accredited higher learning institution. A passing grade must be obtained.
Be educated in one of the clinical healthcare professions on the IBLCE Recognised Health Professions List (listed below) OR provide evidence from a governmental authority that recognizes your profession as a clinical health profession.
Dentist
Dietician
Midwife
Nurse
Occupational Therapist
Pharmacist
Physical Therapist or Physiotherapist
Physician or Medical Doctor
Speech Pathologist or Therapist
Complete education in the 14 health science subjects described in the Health Science Education Guide. The Health Sciences Summary is provided to assist you with this requirement.
The following 8 subjects must be taken from an accredited institution of higher learning:
Each of these courses must meet the following criteria. A description is also provided of what candidates would be asked to provide if their application is randomly selected for audit. There is no requirement to obtain a full degree, nor is there a specific percentile that IBLCE considers passing; this will depend on the place the courses are completed. These are valid regardless of when they were completed without any consideration to the five-year time limit set on the other requirements.
1. Completed from an accredited institution
Accreditation varies globally, but the institution must be accredited by a reputable outside third party. The candidate has either a certificate of completion or a transcript from the accredited institution recognizing the completion of the course. Courses recognized by ACE Credit will meet this requirement.
2. Obtained a passing grade
The candidate provides proof of a passing grade; either as a letter grade or a “Pass”. In some cases, information that there was an assessment performed (e.g. quizzes, exams, etc.) may be required.
3. Minimum of one academic credit session in length
Academic credit sessions vary in length globally. Most courses sufficiently cover the topics in 25 hours or more. The candidate should be able to provide information about the length of the course. Usually, this information is found on the certificate of completion or transcript.
4. Content must be on the subjects listed in the Health Sciences Education Guide
Review the Health Sciences Education Guide for sample course descriptions.
For the remaining 6 subjects, candidates may complete courses offered by an institution of higher learning or continuing education courses.
Basic Life Support
Medical Documentation
Medical Terminology
Occupational Safety and Security for Health Professionals
Professional Ethics for Health Professionals
Universal Safety Precautions and Infection Control
As IBLCE no longer reviews these courses individually prior to application, candidates should review the Health Sciences Education Guide for greater detail and information about these requirements. You may also contact the IBLCE location in your region.
Lactation Specific Education
95 Hours Lactation Education
IBLCE themselves do not offer any education, and it is up to the applicant to obtain this elsewhere. IBLCE states here, “IBLCE does not offer, approve, or accredit lactation education designed to prepare candidates for the certification examination. Nor does IBLCE recommend or endorse any particular program or course in lactation education.” The education must be about breastfeeding or human lactation, preferably following along with the Detailed Content Outline.
For the initial exam application, IBLCE does not require the education to award CERPs. L-CERPs stands for Lactation Continuing Education Recognition Point(s). Sources offering CERPs have been vetted by IBLCE and awarded an approval number for their CERP(s). Lactation education must with completed with five years of applying to sit the exam. If applying in November 2021 for the April 2022 exam, any lactation education earned prior to November 2016 would be invalid and not accepted. For recertifying, which is required every five years, IBLCE does require lactation education to be verified CERPs.
Includes in-person presentations, online education, distance learning and independent study modules.
Education may be from an IBLCE verified Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERP) Provider, but it is not required to be.
Education is to be on topics that are specific to lactation and breastfeeding, examples of which can be found on the IBCLC Detailed Content Outline.
IBLCE uses a 60-minute hour to calculate the education hours.
5 Communication of Hours
Starting with the Spring 2021 exam, there is also now the requirement of five hours of communication. While it is preferred and would be doing yourself a favor, is it not required that these five hours of communication be in regards to lactation. These five hours are only good for the five years prior to applying to sit the exam.
IBCLC Exam
The exam is offered twice a year in English in April and September, for other languages, it is only offered during the fall exam in or around September. The exam is about four hours long and broken into two parts. Exam application windows are open twice a year in the spring and the fall. To sit the fall exam you must apply in the spring and to sit the spring exam you must apply in the fall. Approximately 30% of exam applicants are audited, in which they have about 10 business days to prove they have completed all the necessary requirements to sit the exam.
The exam consists of 175 multiple choice questions that follow along with the Detailed Content Outline. To apply to sit the exam you must create an account on the IBLCE site and log in and apply from within your account. If you do not pass the exam, you are eligible to receive a 50% discounted exam fee for the next three exam attempts or up to three years following the first time you don’t pass. Both initial and recertification exam candidates are eligible for the discounted rate. Countries are divided into three tiers, dependent on which country you reside in your exam application fee will vary.
For tier 1 countries the exam fee is $660, tier 2 countries have a $400 fee, and tier 3 countries have a $225 fee. If for some reason you cannot sit the exam you will only be refunded 50% of your exam fee. Further details on which countries fall into which tier can be found on the Candidate Information Guide on page 29.
Other lactation credentials
There are dozens of various lactation credentials offered through numerous programs or companies. To date, the IBCLC credential is the highest credential awarded with others known commonly as “stepping stone credentials” used while working towards obtaining the IBCLC certification. These stepping stone credentials vary in their requirements and content. Some commonly known lactation credentials are:
International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)
Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)
Certified Breastfeeding Educator (CBE)
Certified Lactation Consultant (CLC)
Certified Advanced Lactation Consultant (CALC)
Certified Advanced Lactation Specialist (CALS)
*Information can be found on IBCLE, and has been compiled here for your convenience.
