Consider an Accredited Program in Lactation

CONSIDER OFFERING A PROGRAM IN LACTATION

TOGETHER.

SHAPING THE FUTURE OF LACTATION CONSULTANTS.

As a member of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), we wish to introduce you to the potential for a new allied health program at your institution. Post-secondary institutions are instrumental in improving maternal and infant health by providing opportunities for health care professionals to learn how to support families. The lactation consultant allied health profession emerged in 1985 to provide expert care to breastfeeding families and to help them make informed choices about the best way to feed their babies. Lactation consultants work with mothers and healthcare staff as members of the healthcare team, supporting families from pregnancy through weaning. There are more than 26,000 lactation consultants worldwide with the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) credential. Half of all IBCLCs are in the U.S. and a majority enter the profession with an associate degree or higher. IBCLCs are employed in hospitals, public health, physician offices and private practice. Their backgrounds are mostly in health care-primarily nurses, dietitians, physicians, and midwives. Average salary range is $31-$40 per hour.

Employment Potential

A collective call from the health care community for babies to be breastfed increases the need for this professional support of families. Researchers and health advocates, noting skyrocketing obesity rates and other health risks, call for protecting infants through breastfeeding. A global Baby-friendly Hospital Initiative established by WHO and UNICEF advocates for practices that protect, promote and support breastfeeding. The Joint Commission's Perinatal Care Core Measures monitor breastfeeding outcomes in healthcare facilities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention promote breastfeeding in their efforts to improve maternity care practices. The U.S. Surgeon General'sCall to Action to Support Breastfeeding includes ensuring access to lactation consultants. The 2012 Affordable Care Act requires most insurance plans to cover lactation support and the cost of purchasing or renting breast pumps. The DHHS Office on Women's Health Business Case for Breastfeeding educates employers about the value of supporting breastfeeding employees in the workplace. These all increase the need for employing lactation consultants.

Establishing a Program

The Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC) became a member of CAAHEP in 2009 with a mission to encourage the establishment and accreditation of lactation programs in academic institutions throughout the country. Education of lactation consultants has been primarily through clinician educators, similar to the beginning of the nursing profession. Some programs are offered through colleges and universities. Requirements to become certified include the equivalent of 3 semesters of college courses in addition to 2 semesters of lactation education and clinical experience. One of the three pathways to IBCLC certification is graduation from an academic program. Community colleges, universities, and nursing schools are prime settings for establishing an advanced certificate in lactation for health professionals as well as a degree program.

For More Information

Please visit LEAARC at www.leaarc.org to learn more about the lactation consultant profession and the potential for a program at your institution. For questions, contact Judi Lauwers, LEAARC Executive Director, at judi@leaarc.org.