lactation consultant (how do you become one)

[Roci]

Hello
Does anyone know how you become a qualified breastfeeding advisor or lactation consultant

I want to help English speaking ex-pat women in Spain and then in the future England ( if and when I eventually come home)

I would really appreciate any advise on how to do this
Many thanks

Have a look at the ibclc ( just google)website, it should tell you everything. I think it is hard now to become a lactation consultant and iirc you may need to be a health care professional first.
Hth

Yeah unless a hcp you would have to do lots of online modules to qualify for application. You coukd become a ll leader if locally available as this can be transferred or study with Abm maybe as they do distance learning to become an abc BFc.

Thank you cb and 48th , I have googled it and spoken the iblce - strangely she didn't know how I could qualify and told me that people do it without a qualification, I said I would feel uncomfortable offering advise without being qualified. You don't need to be a hcp but it makes it a lot easier, I am not a hcp so I would have to train a lot I think, I want to do it voluntary but it seems very hard to even find out what courses I need to do. I just want to help women breastfeed.
I will look into the abm thing you mentioned
the ll are not recruiting anymore due to restructuring apparently. It seems crazy the uk has a low take up of breastfeeding and they had the idea to pay women to do it, ll should just keep recruiting to give women support especially as many women do it voluntary like I would!
thank you again!

Watching.

I would like to be involved in either bf peer support or bf advocacy somehow.

The only issue I may have with peer support is I don't drive but would like to find out what's possible.

Cat, ask at your local children's centre if you have one, ask your nhs infant feeding specialist or contact the ABM (ABM.me.co.uk). You should be able to access a peer supporter course through one of those routes. With ABM, you can do a Mother Supporter course and then if you want, go on to train to become a BFC....all by distance learning.

Thank you that sounds great!

I'm doing a voluntary peer support course with the Breast Feeding Network. It's in conjunction with my local health care authority. It's completely free and I'm learning so much - can't wait to actually start volunteering at groups!

Pirates could you pm me details please? My local mw who runs the group would like me to be a supporter but can't get funding. A free course would be amazing!