Certification

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) examination is the premier, internationally recognized measure of knowledge in lactation consulting. There are currently over 25,000 International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) worldwide, in 90 countries. IBLCE administers the annual examination in multiple languages and at numerous sites around the world. The IBLCE Exam Blueprint is the basis for the development of certification standards for IBCLCs.

 

Initial IBCLC Candidates

To become an IBCLC, you must meet defined eligibility requirements in education and experience. Among those who become IBCLCs are nurses, midwives, dietitians, physicians and experienced breastfeeding support counselors. IBCLCs work in a variety of settings including hospitals, clinics, physicians’ offices, neonatal intensive care units, human milk banks and private practices.

 

Exam Eligibility Requirements
IBLCE offers three ways through which applicants may qualify for the certification exam for lactation consultants. These three pathways to exam eligibility have distinctly different, specific minimum requirements. However, regardless of the pathway a person chooses to follow, all first-time exam candidates must meet requirements within the following components:
  • General Education in the Health Sciences
  • Lactation Specific Clinical Practice
  • Education in Human Lactation and Breastfeeding

The three pathways to become eligible for the IBLCE Exam are:
  • Pathway 1: Use On-the-Job Experience in Lactation and Breastfeeding Care
  • Pathway 2: Graduate from an Academic Program in Human Lactation and Breastfeeding
  • Pathway 3: Complete a Directly Supervised Clinical Internship
 
Deciding Which Pathway to Follow
When making decisions about which pathway to follow, consider the following question:
  • Are you a licensed, registered or recognized health professional who works within the health care system to provide care to breastfeeding families?
Your response to this question impacts decisions about the General Education in the Health Sciences and Lactation Specific Clinical Practice requirements, as well as decisions about which pathway to follow.

For more detailed information about the Pathways and how to apply for the exam, download the Guides and the supporting documents:

 

Recertifying IBCLCs

IBCLCs must renew their certification every 5 years. Recertification by exam is always an option for IBCLCs; however, re-examination is mandatory every 10 years.

Five years after last passing the exam, IBCLCs have the option of recertifying by Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs). One CERP is equal to 60 minutes of education that IBLCE has determined meets the learning needs of practicing IBCLCs.

Ten years after last passing the exam, IBCLCs must recertify by exam again.

 
Last Certified/Recertified By: Will Need to Recertify By:
Exam CERPs or Exam
CERPs Exam


IBLCE awards 3 different categories of CERPs to continuing education:

  • L-CERPs (education specifically about human lactation and breastfeeding)
  • E-CERPs (education about health professional ethics, conduct and standards)
  • R-CERPs (optional category for education that is related to lactation consulting)


IBCLCs recertifying by CERPs must obtain at least 75 CERPs within the 5 years after taking the exam:

  • At least 50 L-CERPs
  • At least 5 E-CERPs
  • At least 20 additional CERPs, which can be L, E or R-CERPs

For more detailed information about recertifying by CERPs or Exam, download the Guides:

 

MILCC Scholarship

Monetary Investment for Lactation Consultant Certification (MILCC) is an international, non-profit scholarship foundation that provides financial assistance to individuals seeking or maintaining certification as an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

MILCC raises money and carefully invests funds in order to provide assistance to initial candidates and recertifying IBCLCs in financial need. Scholarship applications are reviewed on the basis of financial need, with priority given to candidates who serve a population lacking access to the specialized services of an IBCLC.

Scholarships available through MILCC:

  • MILCC: available to candidates who meet the IBLCE requirements to sit the exam or to recertify by CERPs
  • JoAnne W. Scott (JWS): available to a candidate who meets the IBLCE requirements and is a volunteer mother-to-mother breastfeeding support leader
  • Canadian Breastfeeding Foundation (CBF): available to a candidate who meets the IBLCE requirements and who is a Canadian citizen

If you are a volunteer mother-to-mother breastfeeding support leader, you can apply for the JWS or the MILCC scholarship.

For information about applying for a MILCC Scholarship or donating to the scholarship fund, please visit the MILCC website at www.milcc.org.
 
The MILCC Application is now available in Spanish!
El formulario de solicitud MILCC está ahora disponible en español!
Si usted es una líder de apoyo voluntaria de madre a madre de una organización que promueve y apoya la lactancia materna usted puede solicitar la beca de JWS o de MILCC.
Haga clic aquí para la aplicación de MILCC
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