My dear colleagues Liz Brooks has a great summary of the new changes to the IBCLC credentialing process . I agree with Liz that most of these are a move in the right direction! I wanted to let people know about these changes and how they relate to my 90 hour course, the CCLS certificate. Proposed changes: The first change is to have specific required education credits for communication skills. …
Becoming an IBCLC
Quality in a Lactation Course?
Quality in a lactation course? What does that mean? First of all we have to look at what is the purpose of education in the first place. Then ask how can an instructor structure the educational content to make the time spent on it as valuable as possible. What is the purpose of education? Why do we bother with learning? In general, the purpose is to help facilitate positive behavior change. If …
How to become an IBCLC
How to Become an IBCLC Note: These are Barbara’s interpretations of the IBLCE website to attempts to try and clarify this process. If you want more information please Contact us!!! In the message box put "need more information about becoming an IBCLC" or something like that so we will know this is what you need. We will send you a hand out and/or add you to our next free Zoom meeting on …
New 90 hour lactation course! CCLS- Clinical and Communication Lactation Specialist
What? A new 90 hour lactation course? Yes, a new 90 hour lactation course! Let me tell you about how this came to be. The thing I love most about my work is teaching. Whether I am helping one on one with a family, offering a prenatal course, or working with a group, I am a teacher at heart. When I was twenty-one years old, I literally had an epiphany out in a field in the upper peninsula of …
All Things Breastfeeding Episode 41: Barbara’s Journey to how to become an IBCLC
How to become an IBCLC? This week Barbara and Barb talk about Barbara's journey to becoming an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant)! Some people think because the IBCLC credential is consider part of the health care field that you have to be a nurse. This is not true! Many of the biggest movers and shakers in our field are not RNs. Cathy Watson Genna has a bachelors of …
Overcoming the odds
This is the title of our latest podcast. However, it could be the title of so many people's breastfeeding stories. But why does it take "overcoming the odds" to achieve something that is the essence of being a mammal? One of the biggest obstacles to breastfeeding, IMO, is the birth. I know it was for me and my first baby. You can listen to my 1st breastfeeding story to hear all about that …
What do Mothers really need for breastfeeding success?
I have been thinking about this question a lot. Not only am I an IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant), but I do professional training in lactation skills, and I mentor interns who want to become IBCLCs. Jamie Oliver has gotten in a lot of hot water for supporting breastfeeding recently. Because of his personal experiences with his wife, he thought it was pretty easy to …
All Things Breastfeeding: Barbara’s Breastfeeding Story
We are excited to bring our first breastfeeding story this week! Barbara, Owner and IBCLC at The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor shares the story of her first breastfeeding journey. Thank you for listening today! If you enjoy the podcast, please share with your friends! We would also love for you to rate and review the podcast on iTunes. Join in the discussion on our …
All Things Breastfeeding Episode 11: How To Become an IBCLC
This week on the podcast, Barbara and Barb take on the topic of how to become and IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant). If you are an aspiring lactation consultant or think it may be something you are interested in, this show will be very helpful for you. Show Notes: If you are interested in becoming and IBCLC, visit the IBLCE website for …
What is education? (And what does this have to do with breastfeeding?)
I was called to be a teacher a long time ago. One summer day, I was with my sister Up North in a field near a place we visited every year. I was sharing some information about the wildflowers that I had learned. We were both having a great time. My much younger sister was feeling empowered and important. I was feeling like I was guiding her to a stronger place of knowledge and self-esteem. This …
Big Changes at The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor!
It has been a very busy winter this year for The Breastfeeding Center of Ann Arbor. Good thing right? We haven't had much time to think about all of the freezing cold days! As April approaches we are reaching the conclusion of our sixth year in business! I have been launched as a national speaker! I have been hired to speak at a national WIC conference, ICEA, and Lamaze/DONA! Check out my …
What One Doctor Says About Breastfeeding Training in the United States
So, why are mothers and babies having such a hard time with breastfeeding? I just received a link to this blog which I thought was very interesting. In the blog, this doctor admits she really knew nothing about breastfeeding until she took a special course on breastfeeding. Is she unusual? I don’t think so. When I think about all of the things a doctor would need to know about a baby, about …
Why do I have a job?
One of the things I think about a lot is why do I have a job? If breastfeeding is so natural, why do people need me to help them get started with breastfeeding or continue when their babies are older. There are many reasons for this in my opinion. (Remember, this is where I get to just say what I think! I may be right or wrong. If there is research to back things up, I'll share that too when …