This comprehensive, evidence-based, breastfeeding management course includes practical skills, theoretical foundations and competency verification. Technical issues are explored within the context of counseling the mother in the hospital and in public health and community settings. This course prepares participants for professional work helping mothers and babies: this program trains participants how to gain insight into clients' problems, with a strong focus on counseling skills.

The CLC offers continuing education credits for RNs (45 contact hours through ANCC), RDs (45 CPEUs through CDR), IBCLCs (45.0L CERPs through IBLCE) and Nurse-Midwives (3.9 CEUs through ACNM). This course is worth 3 college credits for students at Union Institute and University, MCH 330. This course has been approved by AARC.  

Click here to download a PDF of the Fall 2010 flyer. Or call, fax or write to us for more information. Or you can fill out the request at the bottom of this page.

The page below answers the following questions:

What are the Upcoming Locations and Dates?

Why take the CLC?

What is the CLC?

Who should take the CLC?

What Does this Course Qualify Me To Do?

What National Credentialing Organizations Recognize this Course?

What Books are Recommended for Reference During the Course?

What Is the Scope of Practice of a CLC?

What About Recertifying my CLC?

How can I get more information about the CLC?

Why take the CLC?

Breastfeeding is an important public health issue.  In order to better support breastfeeding families, it has been recommended by the World Health Organization and UNICEF, among other international and national health authorities, that all maternal/child health care workers be educated in skills necessary to support breastfeeding families.  The art and science of breastfeeding is not a matter for specialists alone, but is a foundation of health that should be widely understood and respected. To further this goal, the World Health Organization and UNICEF have recognized the need for four different levels of breastfeeding training:  a 10 hour course for administrators and policy makers; an 18 hour course for maternity staff in Baby-Friendly birth facilities; and a more advanced 40 hour course for breastfeeding counselors, and an 80 hour course for trainers or Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative assessors.

What is the CLC?

The Center for Breastfeeding's Lactation Counselor Certificate program is a forty hour course designed to provide a solid, up-to-date, research based body of information regarding lactation as well the art of counseling.  This course is offered at a variety of locations throughout the United States and around the world, training over 1,500 participants annually. Learners are engaged in over forty hours of didactic and experiential activities during this five-day course.  On the final day, an examination is offered by the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP).  The exam consists multiple choice questions (some of which refer to photographs).  A certificate, and the designation Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC),  is awarded by the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice to all learners who achieve a passing score on the test.  Participation in the exam is not required of learners.  However, it is only after successful completion of the course and examination that the Lactation Counselor Certificate is conferred.  Participants of the course receive continuing education credits regardless of the outcome of the examination. The certificate expires after three years, and may be renewed by submission of a minimum of 18 hours of continuing education.

Who should take the CLC?

The course is intended for professional and volunteer health care workers, such as nurses, midwives, physicians, dietitians, nutritionists, WIC staff, breastfeeding peer counselors, mother-to-mother counselors, childbirth educators, doulas, speech and occupational therapists, child welfare workers, etc.  While professional and personal experience with breastfeeding are of benefit to learners, there are no pre-requisite requirements for this program, other than a sincere desire to learn about breastfeeding. What do people have to say about our course? Click here to find out!

 What Does this Course Qualify Me To Do?

Successful completion of the CLC course signifies that the learner has obtained a firm grounding in information and counseling skills required to provide basic support to breastfeeding mothers and children.  Completion of this course satisfies the 18-hour staff member training requirement of the Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative.  The credit hours received through this five-day course may be applied to the continuing education hours required to sit for the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (“IBLCE”) examination, or to renew the IBLCE credential by CERPs. Many participants have reported that completing this course helped to broaden their knowledge of breastfeeding, identify their strengths as a counselor as well as the areas for growth.  Many also pursue additional courses and sit for the IBLCE exam.  Experienced IBCLCs have told us that taking this course was helpful in preparing to renew their credential through examination.

Completion of this course does not expand the practice parameters of any health professional (neither does any other available lactation training program).  Participants are encouraged to undertake ongoing study. The goal of the Center for Breastfeeding faculty is to provide a sound framework of research-based knowledge and to whet the appetite of learners so that they may build upon and enhance this framework with life long education.

What National Credentialing Organizations Recognize this Course?

Healthy Children is recognized nationally by the following credentialing bodies:

· 

	The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) Following a rigorous evaluation, Healthy Children has been accredited as a provider of continuing education by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.
	The American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) has accredited the CLC as a Nursing Skills Competency Program
	The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the American Dietetic Association The CDR has approved this program for continuing education credits for registered dietitians.
	The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners Healthy Children has been approved as a provider of Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) for lactation consultants.
	The American College of Nurse Midwives Healthy Children has been approved as a provider of Continuing Education.
	The Accreditation and Approval Review Committee (AARC) on Education in Human Lactation and Breastfeeding Healthy Children's CLC course has been approved.
	Lamaze International Credits gained from successful completion of this course may also be applied toward Lamaze recertification.

What Books are Recommended for Reference During the Course?

During the CLC course, beginning Fall 2008, you will be using the required textbook: Pocket Guide for Lactation Management by Karin Cadwell and Cindy Turner- Maffei. It is available for purchase on the registration form, or you can purchase it from Amazon.com by clicking on the link below. There can be multiple participants using the same text book.

What Is The Scope of Practice of a CLC?

Certified Lactation Counselors (CLCs) are individuals who have successfully completed the Healthy Children Project’s Certified Lactation Counselor Training Program, an Accredited ANCC Nursing Skills Competency Program™ * and are also certified by the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP).

CLCs have successfully completed a 45-hour training based upon the footprint of the World Health Organization/UNICEF Breastfeeding Counselling Training Course, have successfully passed a criterion-referenced examination, and demonstrated the competencies and skills required to provide safe, evidence-based counseling for pregnant, lactating and breastfeeding women including the

Ability to recognize one’s own and others attitudes, values and expectations about infant feeding and healthy lifestyles.
Ability to apply the concept of an individualized approach to counseling and management of breastfeeding.
Ability to use appropriate, effective and sensitive communication skills.
Ability to identify opportunities to offer information/education within the counseling encounter.
Ability to assess physical and psychosocial aspects of the breastfeeding dyad.
Ability to utilize reliable tools to assess affective/ineffective breastfeeding and milk transfer.
Ability to incorporate evidence based approaches to practice and make appropriate referrals.
Knowledge of programs, policies and legislation on state, national and international levels that promote, protect and support breastfeeding.

According to the ANCC, the ANCC’s Nursing Skills Competency Program addresses concerns regarding competency by validating that a skills program meets national design standards. It offers a national performance benchmark for selecting continuing education and skills training courses. Participants can validate and claim continued proficiency in their specialized skills. ALPP develops and administers the CLC examination to assess the knowledge and skills that underlie competent practice in lactation counseling. The development, administration and scoring of the CLC exam, after participants have met the skills competency requirements, promotes competency in lactation management, skills, and knowledge and thereby fulfills the mission of ALPP.

The purpose of the CLC certification is to protect the public by identifying individuals who are competent in lactation management skills and knowledge.

This scope of practice addresses the foundation activities that CLCs have the knowledge and skill to accomplish. Many individuals who hold the CLC credential have other licensure and education, including nurses, peer counselors, doulas, dietitians, nutritionists, physicians, midwives, occupational and speech therapy, mental healthcounselors, etc. Because of the diverse background and training of CLCs, this listing does not encompass activities that many CLCs may conduct under the umbrella of other licensure, training, or knowledge.

Knowledge and Competency of the CLC

The credentialed CLC has demonstrated the knowledge and skill to:

• Construct and maintain conditions that predispose mothers and babies to an uncomplicated breastfeeding experience through counseling, education and support.
• Monitor and evaluate behavioral, cultural and social conditions predisposing mothers and babies to an uncomplicated breastfeeding experience.
• Assess for, monitor and evaluate physical conditions that predispose mothers and babies to a complex breastfeeding experience.
• Monitor and evaluate behavioral, cultural and social conditions that predispose mothers and babies to complex breastfeeding experiences.
• Identify and advocate for aspects of breastfeeding management programs that facilitate optimal health outcomes.
• Assess breastfeeding using a multi-faceted approach.
• Use counseling skills and techniques that are supportive to breastfeeding mothers and babies.
• Identify and advocate for public health strategies that serve to protect breastfeeding.
• Coordinate care consistent with standards of professional ethics and behavior.

Thus, the ALPP CLC has demonstrated readiness to:

• Promote breastfeeding as the optimal method of infant feeding and care.
• Counsel and educate pregnant women and mothers regarding breastfeeding.
• Conduct comprehensive assessment of mother and child related to breastfeeding
• Develop a care plan specific to the needs identified through assessment and counseling
• Assess the needs of women and babies who are at risk of, or currently experiencing lactation difficulties, providing care and triaging referral to other care providers as needed

To see the ALPP CLC Code of Ethics, please click here to go to the Academy's website.

* The ANCC Accreditation Program and ANCC Accredited Organization are trademarks of the American Nurses Credentialing Center . All Rights Reserved.

WHO/UNICEF. Breastfeeding counseling: a training course. Geneva: WHO, 1993. Accessed at http://www.who.int/child_adolescent_health/documents/who_cdr_93_3/en/ on August 28, 2009

What About Recertifying my CLC?

The CLC credential lasts for 3 years, and requires 18 hours of continuing education in order to recertify. For more information, please contact The Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice at www.talpp.org . There is a recertification handbook available for download on their website under forms and you can always give them a call at (508) 833-1500. 

Locations and Dates

Our CLC Program travels all across the country! Would you like to download a PDF version of our flyer?  Click here for the  Fall 2010 flyer. Or call, fax or write to us for more information.

Fall 2010 Locations and Dates

San Diego, CA on September 13 - 17

Springfield, IL on September 27 - October 1

Fort Collins, CO on September 27 - October 1

Rockford, IL on October 4 - 8

Lubbock, TX on October 4 - 8

Fort Lauderdale, FL on October 11 - 15

Rochester, NH on October 18 - 22

Demorest, GA on October 18 - 22

Fremont, NE on October 25 - 29

Columbus, OH on October 25 - 29

Chicago, IL on November 1 - 5

Gainesville, FL on November 8 - 12

Louisville, KY on November 8 - 12

Grand Rapids, MI on November 15 - 19

Myrtle Beach, SC on December 6 - 10

Burlington, VT on December 13 - 17

Spring 2011 Locations and Dates

more dates still being added!

Tallahassee, FL on January 24 - 28

Tampa, FL on February 7 - 11

Honolulu, HI on February 14 - 18

Calmar, IA on February 21 - 25

Oxnard, CA on February 21 - 25

Albany, NY on February 28 - March 4

Princeton, NJ on February 28 - March 4

Sarasota, FL on March 7 - 11

Springfield, IL on March 21 - 25

Louisville, KY on March 21 - 25

Chillicothe, OH on March 28 - April 1

Charlotte, NC on April 4 - 8

Buffalo, MN on April 11 - 15

Livingston, MT on April 11 - 15

Milwaukee, WI on May 2 - 6

Meadville, PA on May 9 - 13

Concord, NH on May 16 - 20

Belleville, IL on May 23 - 27

Queensbury, NY on May 23 - 27

Calmar, IA on June 13 - 17

Perrysburg, OH on June 13 - 17

Medina, OH on June 20 - 24