Lactation Consultant Training

Lactation Program Review: Lactation Education Resources (LER) Lactation Consultant Training Program & Breastfeeding Specialist Certificate

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Lactation Program Review: 

Lactation Education Resources‘ (LER)

Lactation Consultant Training Program

with ‘ Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ Certificate (CBS)

Reviewer: Bridget Whiteley-Ross, RN, CBS

Submitted July 9, 2019
Published Sept. 1, 2019

Year enrolled in Program: 2018

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

Certification or Certificate Offered – ‘Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ (CBS) certificate. See here for a detailed course syllabus.

Name of Instructor(s) – Vergie Hughes, MS, RN, IBCLC, FILCA and many others. Editor’s Note: See here – pg. 4 for complete list of LER Faculty Members.

Delivery of Program – Online delivery for 90 hours of lactation education 

Books & Materials Required – Breastfeeding and Human Lactation 5th Edition. Editor’s Note: LER recommends these books for its courses.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $900+ USD

See here for listings and cost of various lactation training programs offered by LER.

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 90 L-CERPs, 90 Nursing Contact Hours and 90 CPE Level II.

Editor’s Note: If you don’t need all 90 hours, LER also has an option that offers 45 L-CERP’s, 45 Nursing Contact Hours and 45 CPE’s. See here for more details and pricing.

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes, it meets the full 90 hour IBCLC lactation education requirement.

What did you like about the program?

It had many highly qualified IBCLC instructors, covering a wide and thorough topic range on lactation and breastfeeding.

What did you dislike about the program?  

Some instructors style preferred more than others but all were very informative.

What would you change about the program? 

Lengthy but probably necessary.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program? 

A few hours a day will help certify you within several months.

Did you feel this particular program used current, evidence-based resources and training materials? Yes.

Do you feel the program was clear in the scope of practice in which you’re allowed to practice? Yes.

Was there clear delineation between this program’s scope of practice and that of an IBCLC? Yes.

Did the program discuss when and how to refer to an IBCLC if necessary? Yes.

Would you recommend this program to others?  Yes, I would.

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

I would definitely take this program again

Do you feel the course and/or certification helped you obtain your goals?  It gave me a solid start toward IBCLC pathway.

Are you currently an IBCLC? Not yet, working on pathway 1 or 3, trying to figure best Pathway for my schedule.

Are you currently working in the lactation field? If yes, feel free to expand on your position. If no, feel free to describe what type of work you’re doing, if you’d like to be in the lactation field and what you feel are the barriers stopping you.

I’m a registered nurse who worked NICU for years and stopped working but kept an active license. I took a break to raise a family and exclusively breasted my four children, for over eight years, total. I had some issues breastfeeding that i was able to work through successfully and I’m an avid supporter of breastfeeding! I’m currently looking for a way to achieve the hours required to take the IBCLC and i’m finding this to be a bit tricky.

Does this particular program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify?

The ‘Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ credential obtained from LER is valid for 5 years.

Any additional comments you’d like to add?

This course was excellent and addressed issues that increased my knowledge base greatly.

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 online via Google Forms here.

See here for more information on LER’s lactation training programs, along with a comparison of similar lactation training programs.

**Disclaimer – The views and opinions expressed in this review are those of the reviewer and do not reflect those of Galactablog. In order to remain objective and unbiased, Galactablog does not endorse or associate with any particular Lactation Training program. It is the reader’s responsibility to confirm program details (cost, dates, # of hours offered, program requirements, etc.) with the program itself as details can change once this post is published.

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 in addition to a comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs. If you’re interested in Lactation Training Programs that offer a clinical practice component, see here.

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Lactation Program Review: Lactation Education Resources (LER) Lactation Consultant Training Program & Breastfeeding Specialist Certificate

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Lactation Program Review: 

Lactation Education Resources‘ (LER)

Lactation Consultant Training Program

with ‘ Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ Certificate (CBS)

Reviewer: Anonymous

Submitted July 12, 2018
Published November 12, 2018

Year enrolled in Program: 2016-2018

How long did it take you to complete the program? 2 years from start of coursework and clinical hours to taking and passing the IBCLC exam

Certification or Certificate Offered – ‘Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ (CBS) certificate. See here for a detailed course syllabus.

Name of Instructor(s) – Reviewer did not answer. Editor’s Note: See here – pg. 4 for complete list of LER Faculty Members.

Delivery of Program – Combination of In-Person and Online Delivery: Online delivery for 90 hours of lactation education and IBCLC exam prep course and In-Person for the 500 hour Clinical Internship program.

Books & Materials Required – Reviewer did not answer. Editor’s Note: LER recommends these books for its courses.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $2,000+ (this includes the 90 hours of lactation education + 500 clinical hours through LER’s Internship program + the exam review prep course).

See here for listings and cost of various lactation training programs offered by LER. See here for detailed description and costs of LER’s Clinical Hours Internship program. See here for detailed description and costs of exam review prep classes.

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 90 L-CERPs, 90 Nursing Contact Hours and 90 CPE Level II.

Editor’s Note: If you don’t need all 90 hours, LER also has an option that offers 45 L-CERP’s, 45 Nursing Contact Hours and 45 CPE’s. See here for more details and pricing.

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes, it meets the full 90 hour IBCLC lactation education requirement and I also received 500 clinical hours needed to qualify the clinical hour component required for the IBCLE exam as well.

What did you like about the program?

  • Able to complete coursework at your own pace and whenever it works for you.
  • You can print out all of the power points and there are tons of resources available.
  • The Internship program was so thorough and detailed, absolutely invaluable. It was easy to reach someone for help whenever needed.
  • The Facebook group is very helpful.
  • The exam review course is also thorough. I passed the exam first time -even now after already passing my exam, I am watching LER’s live webinars and still learning new information.

What did you dislike about the program?  I can’t think of anything! Maybe the cost, but it was worth it and my employer covered some of the costs.

What would you change about the program? Just in the 2 years I’ve been a part of this program, they have introduced several new ways to learn. There is always something new. I wouldn’t change anything.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program? I completed the program from start to finish (start meaning the 90 hour course work and finish to receiving my exam results) in 2 years while working full time, being pregnant and having a newborn. It was hard and time-consuming but I’m glad I pushed through.

Would you recommend this program to others?  Highly. To me, it is the gold standard. In the professional world, everyone knows LER. You will be prepared for the exam and also clinical practice at the end.

Knowing what you know now, would you take this program again? 100%

Do you feel the course and/or certification helped you obtain your goals?  100%! I couldn’t have done it without LER.

Any additional comments? I just want to thank LER and all of the instructors. My experience is the foundation for my practice and I wouldn’t be where I am now as an IBCLC without the program.

Does this particular program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? The ‘Certified Breastfeeding Specialist’ credential obtained from LER is valid for 5 years.

For the IBCLC credential, we have to recertify every 5 years (via CERPs or retaking the IBCLC exam) and every 10 years (via retaking the exam).

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 online via Google Forms here.

See here for more information on LER’s lactation training programs, along with a comparison of similar lactation training programs.

**Disclaimer – The views and opinions expressed in this review are those of the reviewer and do not reflect those of Galactablog. In order to remain objective and unbiased, Galactablog does not endorse or associate with any particular Lactation Training program. It is the reader’s responsibility to confirm program details (cost, dates, # of hours offered, program requirements, etc.) with the program itself.

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 in addition to a comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs. If you’re interested in Lactation Training Programs that offer a clinical practice component, see here.

Lactation Program Review: UCSD Lactation Educator Counselor (CLEC) Training Program

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Lactation Program Review: 

UCSD Lactation Educator Counselor Training Program 

with Lactation Educator Counselor Certificate  

By Anonymous

Review Submitted December 1, 2017
Published on December 13, 2017

How long did it take you to complete the program? 2 months

When did you take the course? 2014

Certification or Certificate Offered – At end of course, students are “Certificated Lactation Educator Counselors,” or CLECs.

Delivery of Program – Completely online. You can find dates and the delivery medium here of available classes here and read more about the program here.

Books & Materials Required – The textbook, Counseling the Nursing Mother: A Lactation Consultant’s Guide by Anna Swisher and Judith Lauwers (2015). It’s available to rent, to buy (in both hard cover and Kindle) on Amazon.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $695 (as of December 2017) + $72 for book via Amazon.com= $767 total.

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 45 L-CERPs, 4 CE units in Reproductive Medicine BRN/RD: 45 CE hrs. BRN

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes – partially (45 hours).

If yes, how many hours of lactation specific training are counted for the IBCLC exam?

45 hours are counted towards the 90 hour lactation education IBCLC exam requirement.

Trainer: Ginni Baker

What did you like about the program? I liked having videos to watch rather than simply PowerPoint slides with voiceover. It’s hard to do that for 45 hours’ worth of education! The price is also more reasonable than other courses.

What did you dislike about the program? Virtually everything else.

What would you change about the program? I’d update the videos, ensure that everything is based on evidence or clearly stated as anecdotal, and ensure that it is inclusive and appropriate for a wide audience.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program? The program was more intense than what I have seen from in-person 45-hour courses. There were lectures plus assignments, including a fairly involved assignment where you create your own breastfeeding class.

Would you recommend this program to others?  I can only speak for the online portion, but no, I would not recommend it to others based on my experience. I felt like communication was poor; there was one instance where I asked specifically about a contradiction between the lecture and assignment and was not given a clarifying answer. The lectures videos were outdated when I watched them. There were some points where language used was offensive, and anecdotal evidence offered as fact without clarification that was anecdotal.

Knowing what you know now, would you take this program again? No. I would try to find an in-person class if at all possible.

Do you feel the course and/or certification helped you obtain your goals? No. I took the course mainly as a prerequisite to apply for the Hybrid Lactation Program (UCSD’s pathway 2 program), and found out after going through the course and applying that any 45-hour course would have counted for a prerequisite, and I was a CLC at the time.

Yes. It helped me to get a job with WIC. In my case, it helped me obtain more credentials as a postpartum doula. The certification is beneficial to doulas as well.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify?

The “Certified Lactation Educator Counselor” certificate is good for 5 years, after which, one needs to take the Refresher Lactation Educator course.

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.

See here for more program details along with comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs.

Lactation Program Review: UCSD Lactation Educator Counselor (CLEC) Training Program

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Lactation Program Review: 

UCSD Lactation Educator Counselor Training Program 

with Lactation Educator Counselor Certificate  

By Anonymous

October 19, 2015

How long did it take you to complete the program? About 1 month.

When did you take the course? April 2014.

Certification or Certificate Offered – At end of course, students are “Certificated Lactation Educator Counselors,” or CLECs.

Delivery of Program – I did the combination course (online and in-person) but there is an completely online option available as well. You can find dates and the delivery medium here of available classes here and read more about the program here.

Books & Materials Required – The textbook Breastfeeding and Human Lactation by Karen Wambach and Jan Riordan, which costs between $115-144 on Amazon right now.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $625 (for course) + $115-144 (book) = $740-$769 total.

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 45 L-CERPs, 4 CE units in Reproductive Medicine BRN/RD: 45 CE hrs. BRN

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes – partially (45 hours).

If yes, how many hours of lactation specific training are counted for the IBCLC exam?

45 hours are counted towards the 90 hour lactation education IBCLC exam requirement.

Trainer: Ginni Baker

What did you like about the program?

  • Gini Baker is amazing! Great public speaker, amazing stories she brought to the course.
  • I highly recommend the combination course-both in person and online certification.

What did you dislike about the program? That I didn’t find it sooner!

What would you change about the program? More courses offered in the Bay Area.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

If you are organized both at work and at home, you can do this. The homework requires a minimum of 1-2 hours of quiet time to work per session.

Would you recommend this program to others? 

Yes. Because it’s real talk. And lastly, to me personally, the name of University California San Diego Extension sounds more professional.

Knowing what you know now, would you take this program again?  Absolutely!

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

Yes. It helped me to get a job with WIC. In my case, it helped me obtain more credentials as a postpartum doula. The certification is beneficial to doulas as well.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify?

The “Certified Lactation Educator Counselor” certificate is good for 5 years, after which, one needs to take the “Refresher Lactation Educator” course.

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.

See here for more program details along with comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs.

Lactation Program Review: Lactation Educator Training through CAPPA

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Lactation Program Review: 

Lactation Educator 20 hour Training

through  CAPPA

 Reviewer: Keva West

        February 21, 2015

How long did it take you to complete the program? 3 days

What year did you complete the program? 2014

Certification or Certificate Offered – Lactation Educator

Delivery of Program – In-person 20 hour Lactation Educator Training over a period of 3 days

CAPPA’s current Lactation Educator Training locations, times and dates

Books & Materials Required – The initial three-day training provided a manual and handouts that corresponded with the PowerPoint.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $400

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 21.5 L-CERPs (guaranteed through 2015).

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes, partial (21.25 hours).

If yes, how many hours of lactation specific training are counted for the IBCLC exam?

It counts for 21.25 hours towards the 90 hour IBCLC exam lactation education requirement.

Name of trainer(s): Christy Jo Hendricks

What did you like about the program?

  • The program and training makes you passionate about breastfeeding.
  • The material is easy to understand.
  • The instructor made everything come alive and made it very exciting to those interested in the field of lactation.

What did you dislike about the program?

The three days of training went by too fast. We had a such fun in Christy’s training.

What did you change about the program?

  • Maybe add an extra day of training
  • I don’t really have any complaints so far

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

I am a stay-at-home wife, so I found it worked for me.

Would you recommend this program to others?

Yes, I would recommend it to anyone who has an interest in become a Lactation Educator.

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

I am actually furthering my education and training by enrolling in the CLE course through CAPPA Academy in order to become a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE). See here for the scope of practice for a CLE through CAPPA. I would definitely take this course because if you’re passionate about breastfeeding, then CAPPA is the way to go. In my opinion, learning has never been so much fun! I am happy that I am finally obtaining an education and training that I really love.

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

I feel it has. I am using what I have learned to help empower women to breastfeed. So yes, that’s a reward for me.

Additional Comments?

  • If you find that your passion is lactation, I suggest you try to schedule a training with Christy Jo Hendricks because she is awesome and empowers you to make a difference!

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? Once I decide to certify as a CLE, my CLE credential is good for 3 years. At that time, I will need 15 CERPs to recertify – all of which can be earned at the annual conference, which is FREE to all CAPPA members. You can read more on CAPPA’s recertification process here.

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 CAPPA, along with comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs. If you’re interested in Lactation Training Programs that offer a clinical practice component, see here.

Lactation Program Review: Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) Training through CAPPA

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Lactation Program Review: 

Lactation Educator Training 

by CAPPA

 Reviewer: Christine Zell

        January 31, 2015

How long did it take you to complete the program? 3 days

What year did you complete the program? 2012

Certification or Certificate Offered – Lactation Educator

Delivery of Program – In-person 20 hour Lactation Educator Training over a period of 3 days

CAPPA’s current Lactation Educator Training locations, times and dates

Books & Materials Required – The initial three-day training provided a manual and handouts that corresponded with the PowerPoint.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $450

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 21.5 L-CERPs (guaranteed through 2015).

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes, partial (21.25 hours).

If yes, how many hours of lactation specific training are counted for the IBCLC exam?

It counts for 21.25 hours towards the 90 hour IBCLC exam lactation education requirement.

Name of trainer(s): Christy Jo Hendricks

What did you like about the program?

  • Christy is AMAZING! She offers a wealth of information and knowledge, tons of hands on activities, and has a true heart for what she does.

What did you dislike about the program?

There was nothing that I disliked about the program.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

Since it is a 3 day training, it was easy to work my schedule around this.

Would you recommend this program to others?

I highly recommend this program to others, and I do so very frequently.

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

I have to take the program again – just for fun!

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

Absolutely. Although going through the training too additional time and expense, being a Lactation Educator has helped me in my birth business. I have families who have chosen to hire me as their doula solely because of my extra training and knowledge in breastfeeding. I also teach breastfeeding classes that have been getting great reviews.

Additional Comments?

Christy is an amazing woman. If you ever have the opportunity to take her training class, you won’t be sorry! It is worth every penny and more. On top of this, more than likely, you will also make a life long friend out of the experience as well.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? No, because I didn’t certify through CAPPA Academy. But if I did certify, recertification is required every 3 years. Recertification requires 15 CERPs – all of which can be earned at the annual conference, which is FREE to all CAPPA members. You can read more on CAPPA’s recertification process here.

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 the CLE Training Program, along with comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs. If you’re interested in Lactation Training Programs that offer a clinical practice component, see here.

Lactation Program Review: Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) Training through CAPPA

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Lactation Program Review: 

Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) Training Program

through  CAPPA Academy

 Reviewer: Sejal Fichadia 

        January 26, 2015

How long did it take you to complete the program? I’m still working on it!

Certification or Certificate Offered Upon Completion – Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)

Scope of practice for a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)

Delivery of Program – In-person 20 hour Lactation Educator Training over a period of 3 days + certification requirements via CAPPA Academy (now completely online).

CAPPA’s current in-person Lactation Educator Training locations, times and dates

Books & Materials Required – The initial three-day training provided a CAPPA CLE training manual and handouts that corresponded with the PowerPoint. After taking the 20 Hour Course, individuals who certify are required to read the manual (provided) and four additional books from this list and one of the following texts in its latest edition: Hale and Hartmann’s Textbook of Human Lactation OR Jan Riordan’s Breastfeeding and Human Lactation (preferred textbook).

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – I paid $895 total (this is for the 3 day in-person training program + certification through CAPPA Academy.

If you don’t want to be certified and just want to take CAPPA’s 20 hour Lactation Educator Training, then you just pay the cost of the 3 day workshop (usually around $400) and all other materials are provided for free.

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 21.5 L-CERPs (guaranteed through 2015).

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes, partial (21.25 hours).

If yes, how many hours of lactation specific training are counted for the IBCLC exam?

It counts for 21.25 hours towards the 90 hour IBCLC exam lactation education requirement.

Name of trainer(s): Christy Jo Hendricks

What did you like about the program?

  • The instructor of the program was the best!
  • requirements for reading materials and research papers was good so we could be up to date on current education on lactation.

What did you dislike about the program?

Nothing at all.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

I wish the program would’ve included one more day of instruction on how to design a breastfeeding class.

Would you recommend this program to others? Yes

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

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

Yes. I get referrals from the organization and have used the education-specific training to add to my services. Students who I have trained have been hired at WIC clinics, hospitals, Baby Friendly practices and started private practices.

Additional Comments? Thank you for having such wonderful teachers CAPPA!

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? Yes, once I get my CLE credential, it’s good for 3 years. I need 15 CERPs to recertify – all of which can be earned at the annual conference, which is FREE to all CAPPA members. You can read more on CAPPA’s recertification process here.

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 CAPPA’s CLE Training Program, along with comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs. If you’re interested in Lactation Training Programs that offer a clinical practice component, see here.

Lactation Program Review: Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) Training through CAPPA

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Lactation Program Review: 

Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) Training Program

through  CAPPA Academy

 Reviewer: Christy Jo Hendricks, IBCLC

        January 20, 2015

How long did it take you to complete the program? 3 months

What year did you complete the program? 2012

Certification or Certificate Offered – Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)

Scope of practice for a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)

Delivery of Program – In-person 20 hour Lactation Educator Training over a period of 3 days + certification requirements via CAPPA Academy (now completely online).

CAPPA’s current Lactation Educator Training locations, times and dates

Books & Materials Required – The initial three-day training provided a manual and handouts that corresponded with the PowerPoint. After taking the 20 Hour Course, individuals who certify are required to read the manual (provided) and four additional books from this list and one of the following texts in its latest edition: Hale and Hartmann’s Textbook of Human Lactation OR Jan Riordan’s Breastfeeding and Human Lactation (preferred textbook).

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $400 (early bird) + $55 CAPPA Membership + $35 Hug Your Baby +$175 CAPPA Academy = $665 + cost of 5 additional books.

If you don’t want to be certified and just want to take CAPPA’s 20 hour Lactation Educator Training, then you just pay the cost of the 3 day workshop (usually around $400) and all other materials are provided for free.

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 21.5 L-CERPs (guaranteed through 2015).

Do this program’s hours meet partial or full requirements for the IBCLC exam’s lactation specific training requirement?

Yes, partial (21.25 hours).

If yes, how many hours of lactation specific training are counted for the IBCLC exam?

It counts for 21.25 hours towards the 90 hour IBCLC exam lactation education requirement.

Name of trainer(s): Laurel Wilson

What did you like about the program?

  • I was impressed that so much was covered. There were sections on anatomy, physiology, latch, education, curriculum development, business marketing and networking opportunities.
  • I was happy to see the program stressing evidence-based information and autonomy of clients.
  • I also appreciated the organization of the program and the accessibility of the instructor following the course.
  • I was able to learn so much in three days and then follow through to certification with a mentor.

What did you dislike about the program?

At the time I took the course, the certification after the training was completed in paper form and mailed in. Since my certification, they have transitioned to an on-line program, which I think is much better. They now have traditional, distance and accelerated options for those wishing to certify. I appreciate CAPPA staying contemporary in education.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

Since I was already an IBCLC, I was able to take the accelerated course. I had read the required books and regularly attended coalitions meetings and read research, so, for me, it was not difficult. It fit into my regular schedule. I think the reading assignments and research reviews are probably the most time consuming.

Would you recommend this program to others?

Absolutely! It is a perfect entry level course for those who want to enter the lactation field and it also helps those in the perinatal field to earn a certification for a relatively small investment. It is a recognized certification that can help propel a profession and build breastfeeding education confidence. So many families have questions regarding breastfeeding and I believe every doula, WIC Peer and RN benefits from a course like the CLE training.

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

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

Yes. I get referrals from the organization and have used the education-specific training to add to my services. Students who I have trained have been hired at WIC clinics, hospitals, Baby Friendly practices and started private practices.

Additional Comments?

  • I appreciate how quickly this organization answered my questions.
  • I value how committed they are to research and education; thus, offering a free annual conference with free CEUs to all members (with membership only $55), it is very affordable to earn the CERPs needed.
  • I also appreciate the faculty’s willingness to travel to locations so students can take a local training. It has been a wonderful experience.
  • I associated so much with the “Love Wins” philosophy of the organization, I applied to be faculty. I have since learned what is expected of faculty.
  • As a mentor, I am required to serve the students, stay up-to-date on research, promote building bridges with all perinatal professionals and network to improve support for breastfeeding families.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? Yes, my CLE credential is good for 3 years. I need 15 CERPs to recertify – all of which can be earned at the annual conference, which is FREE to all CAPPA members. You can read more on CAPPA’s recertification process here.

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 CAPPA, along with comparison of similar Lactation Training Programs. If you’re interested in Lactation Training Programs that offer a clinical practice component, see here.