Just like not every trained professional is created equal, neither are lactation consultants created equal. The level of lactation support varies among different professionals.
When I first began my career as a pediatrician, I had the awesome privilege of caring for newborn babies during their first few days of life. As a newborn hospitalist, I acquired the necessary hours and training to become a lactation consultant as well.
In 2018, I opened 127 Pediatrics and focused on pediatric and lactation care for families in my community. As I practiced lactation medicine, I found that my IBCLC training did not completely prepare me to fully help lactating mothers. When I went searching for more learning opportunities, I found a group of physicians who practiced breastfeeding medicine. After spending several years learning from them, I was able to be one of the first physicians in the country to become board certified in breastfeeding medicine.
What does IBCLC stand for?
An IBCLC stands for “International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.”
The difference between a “Lactation Consultant” and an IBCLC is that an IBCLC is the gold standard for lactation care. Professionals who earn the title of IBCLC have completed extensive educational requirements to complete before we can even take the test to earn the certification.
Importance of Training
There are three different pathways to becoming a recognized lactation consultant. Each of them has a minimum entry requirement, but all of them require
- Minimum of 95 hours of lactation-specific education, including five hours focused on communication skills, within the five years immediately prior to examination application.
- Preferably the five hours of education focused on communication skills will be directly related to
lactation and breastfeeding care, but this is not a requirement.
- Preferably the five hours of education focused on communication skills will be directly related to
- Minimum of 1000 hours of lactation-specific clinical practice in an appropriately supervised setting within the five years immediately prior to examination application.
- Source: IBLCE
In addition to these requirements, an IBCLC must take a pass a licensing exam and keep up with ongoing education and re-certification at certain intervals.
Other trained professionals include certified lactation counselors (CLC), peer to peer counselors and in Texas, we have a trained breastfeeding educator program. These professionals have varying degrees of education in lactation consulting.
Breastfeeding Medicine
In the last several years, a handful of physicians have grown their knowledge about the medicine of lactation medicine. As a result, the specialty of breastfeeding medicine was born. In the fall of 2023, the breastfeeding medicine board exam was offered for the first time in history. I was among the 100 physicians who took and passed the board exam.
Breastfeeding medicine is a mash up of my lactation knowledge and experience with my medical background. As a physician who specializes in this area of medicine, I am able to provide a higher level of care for breastfeeding mothers and their babies. A few conditions that require higher level care include lactation induction, plugged ducts and mastitis as well as low milk supply. The evolution of this specialty and board certification is a win for breastfeeding mothers everywhere. We are able to elevate care for these families and save many breastfeeding relationships.
How Can 127 Pediatrics Serve You?
At 127 Pediatrics, we offer concierge level pediatric and breastfeeding care. If you are near Colleyville, Texas and would like to know more about our in person services, fill out a contact form on our website for a free meet and greet. If you are not close to our practice, but would like breastfeeding support, we offer an array of services. From free resources like this blog or our YouTube channel all the way up to paid resources such as our online breastfeeding overview course. We would be honored to be part of your breastfeeding journey.
© 127 Pediatrics, September 2022, updated January 2024
Please note that this article is purely for informational purposes and should not be interpreted as medical advice.
Dr. Andrea Wadley owns and operates 127 Pediatrics, a pediatric and lactation practice in Colleyville, TX. She specializes in pediatrics, breastfeeding medicine and offers house calls only. Additionally, Dr. Wadley is the owner of the 127 Pediatrics Online Breastfeeding Medicine and Education Center. We have many free resources for breastfeeding mothers. Subscribe to our YouTube channel or download a free breastfeeding checklist.
