Program Review

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: Anonymous

        October 15, 2015

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

What year did you complete the program? 2014

Certification or Certificate Offered – Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)

See Scope of practice for a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)

Delivery of Program – Combination of an in-person 20 hour Lactation Educator Training over a period of 3 days + certification requirements via CAPPA Academy (now completely online). CAPPA now has traditional, distance and accelerated options for those wishing to certify. See here for details.

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. Fortunately for me, my employer paid for the course.

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.

What did you like about the program?

  • Supportive.
  • Good start before diving deeper into IBCLC training.
  • Good basic training for the floor nurse.

What did you dislike about the program?

This program did not always use strong evidence-based practice and interpretation of studies.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program? Very easy!

Would you recommend this program to others?

Yes, but not as a stopping point. What the CLE knows is nowhere as deep as what the IBCLC has to know.

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

Yes. I needed to complete CAPPA Lactation Educator program for my job.

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

Yes. I went on to test for my IBCLC credentials and changed my field of expertise in nursing.

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.

 

Lactation Program Review: ASU Lactation Educator Course

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Lactation Program Review: 

Lactation: Educator Course via Arizona State University (ASU)

By Bridget Abramson

October 12, 2015

What year were you enrolled in program? 2014-2015

How long did it take you to complete the program? 6 weeks

Certification or Certificate Offered – Lactation Educator Certificate is awarded at end of course.

Delivery of Program – Completely online. See here for dates of course offerings.

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

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $325 for 1-3 people from same agency. Price goes down to $300 for 4-10 people from same agency. Cost for ASU students is $125.

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 58 Continuing Nursing Education (CNE) contact hours & CERPs. Course is LEAARC approved.

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

Yes – partially (58 hours).

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

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

What did you like about the program?

  • I learned up-to-date information that I frequently use when working with breastfeeding moms and babies.
  • The activities were helpful for learning the material and you are given more than one chance to pass the quizzes.
  • It is self-paced, so you can decide when to complete assignments.

What did you dislike about the program?

  • There is a large amount of reading. It’s all good information, but can take some time to get through.

What would you change about the program?

A few extra weeks would be helpful to have time to complete the reading assignments.

How time-consuming and/or rigorous did you find the program?

You can complete it with a full-time job or family.  You do need to be self-disciplined to make sure that you get through all the assignments in the 6 week time-frame.

Would you recommend this program to others? 

Definitely. The lectures our interesting and have valuable information that you can actually use.

Knowing what you know now, would you take this program again?  I wish they had more classes!

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

Yes! After taking the courses, I feel more confident to work with breastfeeding moms and babies.

Any additional comments? The courses really helped me prepare for the IBCLC exam.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? No

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: Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) Training through CAPPA

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Lactation Program Review: 

Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) Training Program

through  CAPPA Academy

 Reviewer: Kay Miller

        October 5, 2015

How long did it take you to complete the program? ~2 months (accelerated program)

What year did you complete the program? 2010

Certification or Certificate Offered – Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)

Scope of practice for a Certified Lactation Educator (CLE)

Delivery of Program – Combination of an in-person 20 hour Lactation Educator Training over a period of 3 days + certification requirements via CAPPA Academy (now completely online). CAPPA now has traditional, distance and accelerated options for those wishing to certify. See here for details.

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 greatly appreciated that the program was comprehensive, current, and evidence based.
  • I appreciated the emphasis on continuing education. I appreciated Laurel being approachable and available to me even after the initial 3-day workshop was over.
  • I loved that the class wasn’t just lecture; there were also various activities, role playing, and practice time incorporated in to the workshop.
  • After completing the full certification process, I feel that I had a very well-rounded foundation, and was excited to continue my education in the lactation field.

What did you dislike about the program?

When I completed the program, it was all in paper format. CAPPA has since gone to a partial online format with CAPPA Academy which streamlines the process and offers great benefits to the certification candidates.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

When I was completing the program, I was working two jobs and homeschooling my two children. I am also a single mother. I was able to carve out time to work on the program requirements, and completed the program in 2 months (accelerated version), but did have up to two years to complete it. While the program does take time, effort, and energy, it can be done, and with the quality of education you receive, it is well worth it!

Would you recommend this program to others?

Absolutely! It is a great way for those just entering the lactation field, those desiring to continue their education, and/or those wishing to enhance services already being offered to patients/clients. I would recommend the course to anyone working with breastfeeding families.

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

Yes! I have referred many to the CAPPA Lactation Educator program. I actually took Laurel’s workshop again in 2011 because I enjoyed it so much.

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

Yes, I do. I have been able to serve many families by teaching classes both privately and in hospital, birth center, and other settings. It has also served as a stepping stone in my goal of becoming an IBCLC (planning to sit for the IBLCE exam in 2016).

Additional Comments?

I enjoyed the program so much that in 2011, I decided to join CAPPA’s faculty, and I have been teaching the CAPPA Lactation Educator workshops here in the US ever since.

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.

Lactation Program Review: Health-e Learning’s BreastEd Lactation Studies Program

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Lactation Program Review: 

Health-e Learning’s

BreastEd Lactation Studies Program

Reviewer: Kay Miller

June 5, 2015

Year enrolled in Program: 2014

How long did it take you to complete the program? ~12 hours per course (120 hours total), plus additional time for reading/additional study.

Delivery of Program – Completely online

Certification or Certificate Offered? Certificates are provided after the completion of each of the 10 courses; but there is no “certification” given

Name of Instructor – Various instructors available for questions/discussion.

Books & Materials Required – From the Health-e-Learning site: “All reading material is included in the courses or links to helpful websites are provided. We encourage you to purchase a good quality lactation text and perhaps consider adding a new book to your collection each year.”

Reading resource list for the courses: https://www.health-e-learning.com/en/support/faqs/22/175
(note that there are more updated versions for some of the textbooks on that listing!)

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $1,250.00 for full 10 courses if purchased at the same time. The cost is $129 per class if you decide to purchase individually (for cost of $1,290)

# of L-CERPs, Nursing Contact Hours, CEUs, CPEs, etc. offered – 120 total CERPS offered (12 per each of the 10 courses). Also offers contact hours via the California Board of Nursing.

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 goes beyond by offering 120 hours if you take all of the 10 courses. If you take courses individually, you gain 12 hours per course.

What did you like about the program?

  • While I do prefer in-person workshops, that just wasn’t an option for me at this time due to financial and scheduling constraints. I appreciated being able to complete this program completely online.
  • I liked that I could enter and exit the course freely, and it would save where I left off. This made it easy for me to have the freedom to work in just 15 minute increments when I didn’t have much time, but longer periods when I was able to do so.
  • There were facilitators and message boards for each course that the learner could take advantage of for questions and discussion throughout the course.
  • I liked the study guides that were provided for each course.
  • I liked being able to fully print the courses so I could have a hard copy to highlight and make notes in, as well as use to study when I didn’t have internet access. I can also use those to study with and re-read after my subscription to the courses has expired.
  • I appreciated the more “global” perspective, vs just learning the US version of various topics.
  • I appreciated the links to various studies and other sources to continue learning on topics discussed in the courses.
  • Your access to the courses is cumulative. If you order all 10 courses at once, you get a full year of access. If you need to purchase them individually, you have as many months to access them as the number of courses you purchase.
  • If you need more time, purchasing longer access is inexpensive, and applies to all the courses at once.
  • There was immediate feedback on the various quizzes and tests in the courses, which helps the learner know areas they need to refresh their knowledge/understanding of.
  • The courses had activities sprinkled throughout–quizzes (not for a formal grade), cross word puzzles, matching activities, etc.
  • Health-e-Learning admins also send emails at various intervals to check in with the learner and to see if there are questions/concerns.

What did you dislike about the program?

  • It was all slides and reading–no video components. I wish they would have some video teaching by various instructors to break it up and keep the learner more interested and engaged.
  • I was able to access the courses via my iPad, but not all of the features were supported on it, so I would have to switch over to my laptop to complete those portions or save them for later.
  • Also, while I understand that the information in the lactation world is constantly changing and updating and therefore difficult to stay on top of, some of the information in the courses was outdated.

What would you change about the program?

  • The things I mentioned above as not liking: add in video components, make it fully accessible via mobile devices, update more frequently so that the information is as current as possible.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

I am a single mom of two, homeschool my children, and work 2+ jobs of varying hours, and was able to work this program in to my hectic schedule. Because of the flexibility of being able to do short or long periods of time in the program at at time, and it being fully online, I think that this program is very easily incorporated in to a busy life. As with anything, you do have to actually MAKE the time to work on it, sometimes being creative with how you do so.

Would you recommend this program to others? 

Yes, especially to those unable to travel to in-person workshops. I feel that while some information was outdated, much of it was good. It is a great way to complete the required lactation specific hours for the IBLCE exam requirements, and a great learning opportunity even if that is not your ultimate goal.

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

Yes, I would take this program again. However, I would also like to take other online courses with various components to round out my learning as well.

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

Yes – it provided the education and required hours for the IBLCE exam preparation, in an easy to use and easy to access manner.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? N/A – this is not a certification program and there was no credential given.

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 important to note that these views are not the only source of information about this particular lactation training program.

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

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LERLactation Program Review: 

Lactation Education Resources‘ (LER)

Lactation Consultant Training Program

with Breastfeeding Specialist Certificate 

Reviewer: Jennifer Black Piszcz

March 23, 2015

Year enrolled in Program: 2014

How long did it take you to complete the program? 2.5 months

Certification or Certificate Offered – Breastfeeding Specialist certificate

Delivery of Program – Completely online

Books & Materials Required – Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, 5th Ed 

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $895 + book = $1,000

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

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?

  • The program was very well laid out.
  • It was easy to do at your own pace and to stop and start where you left out.
  • Very user-friendly.
  • Good customer service.
  • Very informative.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

I am a single mom with 4 kids. I am also in school full-time finishing my associates degree and I finished the entire 90 hour program in less than 3 months.

Would you recommend this program to others? Yes! For the very reasons I mentioned above.

Knowing what you know now, would you take this program again? Yes, I loved being able to get all my hours in one place.

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

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? No, we don’t have to recertify. The Breastfeeding Certificate offered through LER is valid for 5 years.

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 information on LER’s lactation training programs, along with comparison of similar lactation training programs.

**Disclaimer – The views and opinions expressed in this review are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Galactablog. It’s important to note that these views are not the only source of information about this particular lactation training program.

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 Breastfeeding Specialist Certificate 

Reviewer: Dianna Castillo

February 22, 2015

Year enrolled in Program: 2013-2014

How long did it take you to complete the program? I completed the program in 6 months (but LER gives you 1 year to finish)

Certification or Certificate Offered – Breastfeeding Specialist certificate

Delivery of Program – Completely online

Name of Instructor – Vergie Hughes

Books & Materials Required – The textbook Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, 5th Ed is required by LER.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $895 + book, so about $1,000

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

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?

  • The course covered almost everything I needed.
  • I was able to listen to the lectures several times to catch things I may have missed the first time.
  • I also printed the power points with the lecture slides to look over the material and take notes while listening to the lectures.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

I have a full time job as an RN and a family.  Looking back, I realized I waited too long to get started.  I should have given myself the full year that LER allows. I was cramming at 6 months considering my busy schedule.

Would you recommend this program to others?  Yes.  It is a wonderful program.  It prepared me very well.

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

Do you feel the course and/or certification helped you obtain your goals? Yes.  Everything was easily accessed from the Internet right from the program.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? No, we don’t have to recertify. The Breastfeeding Specialist Certificate granted by LER is good for 5 years.

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 comparison of similar lactation training programs.

**Disclaimer – The views and opinions expressed in this review are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Galactablog. It’s important to note that these views are not the only source of information about this particular lactation training program.

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: 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 Breastfeeding Specialist Certificate 

Reviewer: Ericka, RN, IBCLC

January 28, 2015

Year enrolled in Program: 2013-2014

How long did it take you to complete the program? Approximately 6-8 months (but I took a very casual approach)

Certification or Certificate Offered – Breastfeeding Specialist certificate

Delivery of Program – Completely online

Name of Instructor – Vergie Hughes

Books & Materials Required – The textbook Breastfeeding and Human Lactation, 5th Ed is required by LER. In my opinion, Core Curriculum For Lactation Consultant Practice and Breastfeeding Atlas were helpful as well.

Cost of Program (Including books, materials, application fees, etc.) – $895

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

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?

  • The program was very well organized
  • The instructors were extremely responsive
  • I felt very prepared for the IBCLE

What would you change about the program?

It would have been great to be able to listen to some of the presentations as podcasts while driving. You have to sit at the computer and click next slide. I am sure this is to make sure you actually completed the course though.

How rigorous/time consuming did you find the program?

I usually worked on the classes during my lunch hour at work. My boss also allowed me to do slides in between clients at work. I was working full-time but managed to finish in 6-8 months (working on the program casually).

Would you recommend this program to others? Most certainly!

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 felt well prepared.

Does your program/credential require you to recertify? If so, how long does the credential last and what is required to recertify? No, we don’t have to recertify.

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 information on LER’s lactation training programs, along with comparison of similar lactation training programs.

**Disclaimer – The views and opinions expressed in this review are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Galactablog. It’s important to note that these views are not the only source of information about this particular lactation training program.

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.