Lactation Program Review: 

Healthy Children’s Center for Breastfeeding’s  

Lactation Counselor Training Course

By Falen Pope

January, 2015

How long did it take you to complete the program? 1 week

Certification or Certificate Offered – Certified Lactation Counselor (CLC)

Delivery of Program – In-person

Books & Materials Required – The Pocket Guide for Lactation Management by Karin Cadwell, 2nd edition (can be purchased on Amazon from about $25-$35 or purchased at class for $55). A course guide with an outline of all instruction along with a resource appendix is free and included in course costs.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $730-800

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 45 Nursing contact hours, L-CERPs, CPEs; 4.5 CEUs for CNMs

What did you like about the program?

Having locations all over the United States made it easy to find a time and place that worked for me. The instructors were quite knowledgeable and experienced. They were very open to receiving questions both during instruction and during break times. The assignments allowed for some practical application of what was learned and were able to be completed during break times. The information given was evidence-based and provided me with a base knowledge for my lactation studies. This course and training also instilled in me the confidence to work with mothers within the CLC scope of practice.

What did you dislike about the program?

I would have preferred more active learning. A lot of the instruction took place while we were just sitting. I felt the assignments provided active learning but not enough of it. I would’ve liked more.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

The program was easy for me because I don’t work in the summer. On the other hand, taking off a full week could be difficult for someone working full-time. I would not have been able to do it during the school year as I teach full time. The training location was about 3 hours away from me, so I stayed in a hotel. I’m still breastfeeding my son, so I brought him along with me because I didn’t want to leave him for an entire week. My mother joined us to help me out. It was temporarily difficult for that single week, but then I was finished and I didn’t have to worry about continued hours of instruction or homework.

Would you recommend this program to others?

Yes. I would recommend this program to someone wanting to expand their lactation knowledge and to obtain a certification to use in their current or desired field like nurses, educators or volunteers. I would also recommend this program to those who prefer to do their studies and instruction in-person rather than online. For someone aspiring to be an IBCLC and to sit for the IBCLC exam, this program fulfills part of the lactation education requirement.

Knowing what you know now, would you take this program again? Yes, I would.

Do you feel the course and/or certification helped you obtain your goals?

Yes, I do. I am working towards becoming an IBCLC. The CLC certification has enabled me to start a peer support group for breastfeeding mothers at my school.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? My CLC credential lasts is good for 3 years. Recertification takes 18 hours of continuing education.

Would you like to write a review of a Lactation Training Program that you’ve taken? If so, don’t be shy! You can access the review form directly from Galactablog. Or directly online via Google Forms here.

**Disclaimer – The views and opinions expressed in this review are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Galactablog. It’s also important to note that these views are not the only source of information about this particular lactation training program. See here for more program details on Healthy Children’s Lactation Counselor Training Course, along with comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs. If you’re interested in Lactation Training Programs that offer a clinical practice component, see here.