Lactation Consultant vs Lactation Counselor

What is the difference between a Lactation Consultant and a Lactation Counselor, Breastfeeding USA counselor, and all of the other names?

• There are 3 certifications that are structured very similarly: CLC, CLS, and CLE
  1. Certified Lactation Counselor - also known as CLC, or "Lactation Counselor"
  2. Certified Lactation Specialist - also known as CLS or "Lactation Specialist"
  3. Certified Lactation Educator - also known as CLE
  • Each of these (CLC, CLS, and CLE) have the following in common:
    • Training: 45-hour course with test at the end, and certification upon passing)
    • Scope of practice includes: Establishing good milk supply, helping mothers and babies with positioning and latch, giving mothers instructions on pumping and hand expression of milk, and other routine breastfeeding management
    • Needs to refer to IBCLC or Lactation Consultant when breastfeeding challenges fall outside of their scope of practice
• International Board Certified Lactation Consultant - also known as IBCLC or "Lactation Consultant"
  • Highest standard for breastfeeding credential
  • Training: A bachelor's degree in a health field, 1000 hours working with breastfeeding mothers, 90 lactation-specific continuing-education hours, passing the IBCLC Boards. Certification must be renewed every 5 years with continuing education credits and re-examination every 10 years
    
  • Scope of practice includes: all of the scope of the above groups, as well as more complicated maternal and infant breastfeeding challenges. Examples include NICU admission for infants, hyperbilirubinemia, congenital defects, oral/motor dysfunction and excess infant weight loss; for mothers examples include: breast abscess, induced lactation, mastitis, breast surgeries and anomalies.
    

I am a Certified Lactation Counselor. For the past 4 years, I have been training to become a Lactation Consultant. As I get more experience, education, training, my scope expands. In April 2016, I will sit for the IBCLC boards and I will get the results in June or July of 2016. In the mean time, I will continue to practice as a Certified Lactation Counselor, providing home visits for mothers and babies in the Indianapolis area.