More Than a Job, It’s a Privilege: Supporting Breastfeeding Families

International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) are healthcare professionals who specialise in the clinical management of breastfeeding. While many kinds of lactation support providers offer education and support, only IBCLCs have completed the clinical training and maintain the knowledge required to become and stay internationally recognised lactation experts.

Many people don’t realize that IBCLCs work in a variety of healthcare settings and beyond. Some provide direct care to families immediately following birth in hospitals and birthing centres, while others help families navigate breastfeeding in the weeks and months after discharge at home, in private practice, and in the community. Other IBCLCs advocate for lactation support and education locally, nationally, and globally, while some IBCLCs help employers implement lactation support policies, like the PUMP Act.

The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners? (IBLCE?), the credentialing organisation, spoke with three IBCLCs about their journey and the important role that credentialing plays in supporting families.

Why did you become an IBCLC?

Julie-Anne Harrison , ‘alittlehelp’, Brisbane, Australia: Having a background in midwifery and child health nursing, I knew supporting new families with breastfeeding was a true passion of mine. That interest was just the beginning of my career in lactation support. Earning my IBCLC? credential has been essential to delivering the best evidence-based education and support to the families I work with. I truly admire their efforts to breastfeed their babies.

Annabelle Mackenzie ( Annabelle M. ), US Air Force Hospital, Suffolk, England: I’ve worked in nearly every job setting and role there is when it comes to lactation support—but none come close to the rewarding career that is working as an IBCLC. What really inspired me was my own breastfeeding journey with my daughter, where I had to navigate things like latching, supply, and others I now help my patients with. Becoming an IBCLC has helped me learn, form connections, and meet wonderful families.

Note: Annabelle participated in this interview in her personal capacity. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of her employer.

Bayyinah Muhammad , Community of Hope, Washington, DC, United States: Maternal and child health has always felt like a natural calling to me, and with the IBCLC credential, I’m able to take that a step forward. Becoming an IBCLC was a launchpad for many different aspects of my career. From working as a technician on a postpartum floor to my current role as a Certified Nurse-Midwife & Women’s Health Nurse Practitioner, my passion for supporting families who navigate infant feeding has only grown.

What’s a typical day look like for you?

Julie-Anne: As a lactation consultant in private practice since 2012, I provide a home visiting service to my clients. I value getting to know my clients and their goals for lactation. I celebrate families’ breastfeeding successes and am also there to empathise when things do not quite go to plan. Being an IBCLC involves taking on many roles: a healthcare worker, a coach, a cheerleader, a support crew member, and a counsellor.

Annabelle: Working as an IBCLC in a US Air Force Hospital means no two days are the same. I want to be clear that these are my own views, not the Air Force’s. Caring for service members and their families fills my heart knowing I’m helping the people who keep us safe. My typical day can include helping families and babies in the OB/GYN clinic, via virtual consults, and on the labour and delivery ward. This work keeps me on my toes, especially since every breastfeeding experience is different and I learn something new with each dyad.

Bayyinah: I am an IBCLC, but when I see my patients, I’m a cheerleader. My priority is creating a plan that will support families from pre-pregnancy to postpartum through weaning. I’m there every step of the way. I have an appreciation of the complexities of that journey and that it can look different each time. My clinical training and the knowledge required of IBCLCs helps me support every family and their unique needs.

What’s been most surprising about your career?

Julie-Anne: I am continually amazed by my clients’ dedication to overcome obstacles to find success in breastfeeding when they may have thought it would not be possible after a difficult beginning. Supporting a mother to go from having low milk production and using a supply line, to exclusive breastfeeding gives the mother a feeling of great accomplishment that I never tire of witnessing.

Annabelle: My IBCLC credential gives me the confidence of an evidenced approach; I know that I am striving to serve my patients to the best of my ability. I knew that IBCLCs were the gold standard before earning mine, and now I understand why. Having the skills and knowledge to help families find solutions to latching or positioning is something I didn’t think would come easy to me, but I’m grateful the years of preparation and continued learning paid off. Now I’m able to be a vital part of a family’s breastfeeding journey and health.

Bayyinah: Not everyone realises that infant feeding isn’t always an easy or straightforward task. Breastfeeding is a different experience for everyone, and these complexities make the journey even more rewarding when families are successful in reaching their nourishment goals. It doesn’t matter how many children someone has—there are things they still haven’t experienced. Being able to offer them the support that brings them joy and meets their needs is amazing.?

Why is being an IBCLC so important to you?

Julie-Anne: My IBCLC credential has provided me with skills to help families achieve their breastfeeding goals. While I had been supporting breastfeeding mothers for over 30 years as a midwife, it has been my IBCLC credential that has taken my knowledge to a higher level and helped me realise that ongoing learning is essential. While it was not initially on my radar, it has also given me the opportunity to own and run my own business. I am proud to be an IBCLC and value that the standard for being an IBCLC is high, requiring recertification every five years.

Annabelle: My IBCLC credential has instilled confidence within myself—and allowed me to use that confidence to help families. Not a day goes by that I’m not grateful to be an important part of the life cycle.

Bayyinah: I take great pride in my IBCLC certification as a leading expert in breastfeeding. We work hard to make sure the care we provide is the highest standard of care and to support policies that make it easier for families.?