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A lactation consultant is a
health professional A health professional, healthcare professional, or healthcare worker (sometimes abbreviated HCW) is a provider of health care treatment and advice based on formal training and experience. The field includes those who work as a nurse, physician (suc ...
who specializes in the clinical management of
breastfeeding Breastfeeding, or nursing, is the process by which human breast milk is fed to a child. Breast milk may be from the breast, or may be expressed by hand or pumped and fed to the infant. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that bre ...
. The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) certifies lactation consultants who meet its criteria and have passed its exam.


Description

Lactation consultants are trained to assist mothers in preventing and solving
breastfeeding difficulties Breastfeeding difficulties refers to problems that arise from breastfeeding, the feeding of an infant or young child with milk from a woman's breasts. Although babies have a sucking reflex that enables them to suck and swallow milk, and human br ...
such as sore nipples and
low milk supply In breastfeeding women, low milk supply, also known as lactation insufficiency, insufficient milk syndrome, agalactia, agalactorrhea, hypogalactia or hypogalactorrhea, is the production of breast milk in daily volumes that do not fully meet the nu ...
. They commonly work in hospitals,
physician A physician (American English), medical practitioner (Commonwealth English), medical doctor, or simply doctor, is a health professional who practices medicine, which is concerned with promoting, maintaining or restoring health through th ...
or
midwife A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; ...
practices,
public health Public health is "the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals". Analyzing the det ...
programs, and private practice. In the United States, lactation consultants are often nurses, midwives, nurse practitioners, and dieticians who have obtained additional certification.


History and organization

The IBLCE was founded by a group of La Leche League leaders who wanted to professionalize the skills they had developed while working with breastfeeding mothers. Candidates can choose various pathways to qualify, including options for current health professionals and volunteers, through college or university academic programs, or through mentoring. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) may use the post nominals IBCLC and/or RLC after their name. The International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) is the
professional association A professional association (also called a professional body, professional organization, or professional society) usually seeks to further a particular profession, the interests of individuals and organisations engaged in that profession, and t ...
for lactation consultants. IBCLCs undergo specialized training to assist families with breastfeeding, milk production issues, and pump management issues. IBCLCs must meet certification requirements for education and clinical experience, and pass an examination. IBCLCs must also re-certify every five years with 75 continuing education hours every five years or take an examination.


Outcomes

Exclusive and partial breastfeeding are more common among mothers who gave birth in IBCLC-equipped hospitals. In maternity hospitals, a ratio of one IBCLC for every 15 postpartum mothers is suggested. The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that all communities ensure access to services provided by IBCLCs. Evidence found that breastfeeding interventions including lactation consultants and counselors increased the number of women initiating breastfeeding.


See also

*
Lactation counselor A lactation counselor is a healthcare provider recognized as an expert in the fields of human lactation and breastfeeding counseling. A certified lactation counselor will carry the initials CLC after her/his name. Lactation counselors can be found ...
* Postpartum confinement, the period after childbirth when the new mother rests and bonds with her newborn, as they both learn to breastfeed * Wet nurse, a woman paid to nurse another's baby * Newborn care specialists, a type of nanny


References


Cited works

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External links

{{Commonscat, Lactation consultants
International Lactation Consultant AssociationInternational Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners
Breastfeeding Consulting occupations Health care occupations Gendered occupations