If you’re a dietitian looking to earn more continuing education about breastfeeding and lactation, or you’re considering a career pivot (or expansion) to the lactation space –
You’re in the exact right place.
Nutrition and lactation are fields that not only overlap significantly, they complement each other – you can use your skills in both arenas to further your clinical practice, and to serve families from a more in-depth and holistic perspective.
(No, really! Just ask our founder, Hope – a registered dietitian and IBCLC)
The even better news? The path to becoming an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant®) is much more straightforward if you’re already a healthcare provider like a dietitian.
If you’re a registered dietitian (or nurse, or other Recognized Health Professional) – you’re eligible for Pathway 1 or Pathway 3 when becoming an IBCLC.
Your prior training counts as the required health education, which means your next step is completing lactation-specific education!
After your lactation education, you’ll complete your hands-on clinical hours in lactation (similar to the hours you completed in your dietetic internship) and take your IBCLC exam, which is administered by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLE – essentially, the CDR of lactation consultants).
The bonus? As a dietitian, if you work with lactating dyads already and pursue a Pathway 1, you can use the client contact hours while you’re at work towards your clinical hours in lactation. If you don’t feel confident in your hands-on skills, you can always pursue a Pathway 3.
Want to learn more about the pathways to becoming an IBCLC? Click here!
You will need at least 90 hours of health education specific to lactation (also known as lactation-specific education) to meet your education requirements and begin your supervised practice.
Beginning in 2025, you’ll also need two hours of education focused on the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes (known as the “WHO Code”) and five hours of education in communication skills.
What you need to know about lactation-specific education:
(Note: In the United States, the Lactation Education Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (LEAARC) does offer an independent review of comprehensive lactation programs to verify that they meet the IBLCE clinical competencies. If you want to get all of your education in one course (instead of cobbling it together yourself), you’re looking for a LEAARC approved course!)
So, you’re *kind of* on your own, kid –
Unless you can find all of your lactation-specific education (including the communication requirements) in one place.
You know where we’re going with this, right?
The first and leading lactation-specific education course that will ensure you meet all of your requirements to go from RD to IBCLC.
The IFC® Course was created by Dr. Hope Lima, PhD, RDN, IBCLC to make the process of finishing your lactation-specific education hours not only easy, but effective and engaging.
The course is also approved by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) as a certificate program, awarding 86.75 CPEUs upon completion.
As in, 100% of the CPEUs that you will need to recertify as a dietitian in a 5 year cycle.
The process for CDR approval is rigorous, and includes review by a minimum of 3 practicing registered dietitians to ensure a high-quality, evidence-based course.
Hope’s background in academia and teaching at the collegiate level mean that you won’t just check the boxes of completing hours and moving on – you’ll learn critical thinking for lactation support and other skills that give you the confidence you need to begin utilizing your new skills in practice immediately.
To learn more about Hope Lima and Feeding Families Education & Consulting, click here!
As an IFC®, you can also begin to practice lactation support at a basic level while you complete your IBCLC credentials – meaning you can incorporate some lactation basics into your nutrition practice (or private practice) sooner.
The TL;DR on the IFC®:
To learn more about the IFC® Course, click here!
Don't walk into your IBCLC exam nervous - with our comprehensive study guide in your back pocket, you'll be prepared for every scenario and question.