Lactation consultant

Short description: Health professional

Not to be confused with Lactation counselor.

Teaching the importance of breastfeeding in a nutrition rehabilitation clinic in Madhya Pradesh, India

A lactation consultant is a health professional who specializes in the clinical management of breastfeeding. The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) certifies lactation consultants who meet its criteria and have passed its exam.[1]

## Contents

* 1 Description
* 2 History and organization
* 3 Outcomes
* 4 See also
* 5 References
* 5.1 Cited works
* 6 External links

## Description

Lactation consultants are trained to assist parents in preventing and solving breastfeeding difficulties[2] such as sore nipples and low milk supply. They commonly work in hospitals, physician or midwife practices, public health programs, and private practice. In the United States, lactation consultants are often nurses, midwives, nurse practitioners, and dieticians who have obtained additional certification.[2]

## 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 individuals.[3][2] Candidates can choose various pathways to qualify, including options for current health professionals and volunteers, through college or university academic programs, or through mentoring. [4]

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 for lactation consultants.[5]

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.[6]

## Outcomes

Exclusive and partial breastfeeding are more common among individuals who gave birth in IBCLC-equipped hospitals.[7] In maternity hospitals, a ratio of one IBCLC for every 15 postpartum individuals is suggested.[8] The U.S. Surgeon General recommends that all communities ensure access to services provided by IBCLCs.[9] Evidence found that breastfeeding interventions including lactation consultants and counselors increased the number of individuals initiating breastfeeding.[10] A systematic review on characteristics and outcomes of postpartum care found that when individuals receive care from a lactation consultant they are more likely to present higher rates of any breastfeeding at six months (but not at one or three months), and higher rates of exclusive breastfeeding at one or three months.[11]

## See also

* Lactation counselor
* Postpartum confinement, the period after childbirth when the new parents rests and bonds with their newborn, as they both learn to breastfeed
* Wet nurse, a woman paid to nurse another individual's baby
* Newborn care specialists, a type of nanny

## References

1. ↑ "IBLCE". http://iblce.org/.
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Lawrence 2016, p. 749.
3. ↑ "LLLI - The LLL Leader and the IBCLC - A Partnership in Breastfeeding History". www.llli.org. http://www.llli.org/llleaderweb/lv/lvjunjul00p52.html.
4. ↑ "IBLCE Continuing Education Review / Application Information". http://iblce.org/continuing-education-review/application-information/.
5. ↑ "ILCA Home". http://www.ilca.org/home.
6. ↑ "IBLCE" (in en-US). https://iblce.org/.
7. ↑ "US Surgeon General Breastfeeding Executive Summary". http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/library/calls/breastfeeding/executivesummary.pdf.
8. ↑ Lawrence 2016, p. 246.
9. ↑ Office of the Surgeon General (US); Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US); Office on Women's Health (US) (2011) (in en). Actions to Improve Breastfeeding. Office of the Surgeon General (US). https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK52679/.
10. ↑ Patel, Sanjay; Patel, Shveta (August 2016). "The Effectiveness of Lactation Consultants and Lactation Counselors on Breastfeeding Outcomes". Journal of Human Lactation 32 (3): 530–541. doi:10.1177/0890334415618668. ISSN 1552-5732. PMID 26644419.
11. ↑ Saldanha, Ian J.; Adam, Gaelen P.; Kanaan, Ghid; Zahradnik, Michael L.; Steele, Dale W.; Danilack, Valery A.; Peahl, Alex Friedman; Chen, Kenneth K. et al. (2023) (in en). Postpartum Care up to 1 Year After Pregnancy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. doi:10.23970/ahrqepccer261. PMID 37315166. https://effectivehealthcare.ahrq.gov/products/postpartum-care-one-year/research. Retrieved 2024-04-30.

### Cited works

* Lawrence, Ruth (2016). Breastfeeding : a guide for the medical profession, 8th edition. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier. ISBN 978-0-323-35776-0.

## External links

* International Lactation Consultant Association
* International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners

* v
* t
* e

Pregnancy and childbirth

Planning|

* Birth control
* Natural family planning
* Pre-conception counseling

Conception|

* Assisted reproductive technology
* Artificial insemination
* Fertility medication
* In vitro fertilisation
* Fertility awareness
* Unintended pregnancy

Testing|

* 3D ultrasound
* Obstetric ultrasonography
* Pregnancy test
* Home testing
* Prenatal diagnosis

Prenatal|

| Anatomy|

* Amniotic fluid
* Amniotic sac
* Endometrium
* Placenta

|

Development|

* Fundal height
* Gestational age
* Human embryogenesis
* Maternal physiological changes
* Postpartum physiological changes

Care|

* Nutrition
* Environmental toxicants
* In pregnancy
* Prenatal
* Concomitant conditions
* Drinking
* Diabetes mellitus
* Smoking
* Vaping
* SLE
* Sexual activity during pregnancy

Procedures|

* Amniocentesis
* Cardiotocography
* Chorionic villus sampling
* Nonstress test
* Abortion

Childbirth|

| Preparation|

* Bradley method
* Hypnobirthing
* Lamaze
* Nesting instinct

|

Roles|

* Doula
* Birth attendant
* Men's roles
* Midwife
* Obstetrician
* Perinatal nurse
* Traditional birth attendant

Delivery|

* Bloody show
* Childbirth positions
* Home birth
* Multiple birth
* Natural childbirth
* Pelvimetry / Bishop score
* Cervical dilation
* Cervical effacement
* Position
* Presentation
* Breech
* Cephalic
* Shoulder
* Rupture of membranes
* Unassisted childbirth
* Uterine contraction
* Water birth

Postpartum|

| Maternal|

* Postpartum confinement
* Sex after pregnancy
* Psychiatric disorders of childbirth
* Postpartum physiological changes

|

Roles|

* Doula
* Health visitor
* Lactation consultant
* Monthly nurse
* Confinement nanny

Infant|

* Adaptation to extrauterine life
* Child care
* Congenital disorders

Obstetric history|

* Gravidity and parity

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