| Lactation consultants are allied health care providers who specialize in all aspects of mother baby care as it relates to breastfeeding. Our professional certification is "International Board Certified Lactation Consultant" commonly known as IBCLC. Many IBCLCs originally came from other medical backgrounds including but not limited to nursing, medicine, physical, occupational and speech therapy. Many IBCLCs may also come with a background in volunteer mother to mother breastfeeding assistance organizations.
IBCLCs work in a variety of settings; private practice, offices with other health care providers, hospitals, clinics, and teaching.
"The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) is a non-profit corporation established to develop and administer a voluntary certification program for lactation consultants. Founded in 1985, it has administered annual examinations, offered in several languages, at numerous sites around the world."
"The IBLCE credential certifies attainment of the appropriate standard of competency that has been set by experts in the lactation field. It is designed to protect the interests of babies and mothers."
"Certification is intended for health professionals experienced in lactation consultation, graduates of lactation consultant education programs, and breastfeeding counselors. Because competency as a lactation consultant requires practical skills and clinical judgment as well as knowledge, lactation consultants are required to have extensive practical experience as a breastfeeding consultant before they take the exam."
Reference: http://www.IBLCE.org.
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