In my previous life, I was (among other things) a health department employee. I will never forget the phone call I received one day from a woman who lived in a nearby town. She identified herself as a lactation consultant and wanted the health department staff to know that she was ready and willing to handle referrals of breastfeeding moms and babies.

This was great news—breastfeeding rates were on the rise, due in large part to the wonderful work done by the WIC Breastfeeding Program, and we were desperate for help, especially with our high risk moms and babies.

At the time, I was the only IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) within a two-hour drive of the clinic. I told her how excited I was to learn that there was another IBCLC in town, and asked her what year she had taken the IBLCE examination.

“What’s an IBCLC?” she asked.

“I haven’t taken any test,” she added.

My excitement waned, as I attempted to explain how one becomes an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant—the prerequisites—2500 hours caring for breastfeeding mothers and babies; 75 continuing education recognition points; countless hours of studying in anticipation of taking the exam; examination; recertification; and reexamination.

And the learning doesn’t end there—that’s just the beginning. An IBCLC spends her entire career learning from other experts in the field and sharing her knowledge with mothers, babies, and families. I wasn’t trying to overwhelm my listener—I was delighted to find someone interested in supporting breastfeeding mothers, but I wanted her to know that those five letters—IBCLC—represent a tremendous investment of time and talent.

I invited her to come by the health department and meet our breastfeeding staff suggesting that perhaps that would be a good place to start.

“Can’t I just print up some business cards and put ‘lactation consultant’ under my name?” she asked.

I acknowledged her desire to help mothers, but told her that what she was proposing went beyond misrepresenting herself to the public.

“Just because someone puts a sign in their yard that says ‘brain surgeon’ doesn’t mean I am going to let them operate on me,” I said.

“How much is there to know?” she asked. “I nursed my two kids for almost a month,” she added. “Why just last week I talked to a woman at the hospital about a drug she was taking and told her it was fine to take while breastfeeding.”

At this point, my excitement turned to fear. Not only was she misrepresenting herself to the public, she was potentially putting a mother and baby at risk. While most medications are compatible with breastfeeding, some are not. Furthermore, if a mother has a question about a particular drug, as an IBCLC, it is my responsibility to share what information I have about the drug, and refer the mother to her doctor or her baby’s doctor for further discussion and decision-making.

How much do you need to know in order to help mothers breastfeed? Depending on the circumstances, you may need to know a little (how to help with positioning and latch) or a lot (how to increase a milk supply for a baby that is gaining poorly).

If you are wondering if all “LCs” are created equal, the answer is clearly, no. But when you see “IBCLC,” you can be confident in knowing that this person is a healthcare professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding mothers and babies; that she has been certified by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) under the guidance of the National Commission for Certifying Agencies; that she possesses skills and knowledge acquired through years of training and hours of study; that she meets rigorous academic standards; and that she has passed a a criterion-referenced exam.

If you are uncertain about a lactation consultant’s credentials, don’t hesitate to ask for clarity. You can also contact the IBLCE to see if the individual in question is listed on its  registry. Or if you are trying to locate an IBCLC in your area, you can contact the International Lactation Consultant Association (ILCA) and access the link: Find a Lactation Consultant.

Currently, there are over 16,000 IBCLCs in more than 70 countries worldwide. So please join me on Wednesday, March 5, 2008 in celebrating the important role IBCLCs play in providing quality breastfeeding care and services to women, infants, children, and families.

Happy IBCLC Day!