Yes! It does matter.

The official Lactation Consultant is an IBCLC.

Lactation support is often needed to help mothers initiate and continue breastfeeding. There are many kinds of help available for breastfeeding mothers. The alphabet soup of the lactation world is tricky to learn. You hear the words Lactation Consultant for them all but they are not the same accreditation across the board. Please read on.

International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) are certified by an International Board that has rigorous levels of requirements. Certification requires prerequisite college health science courses and hundreds of hours of clinical experience under the supervision of other IBCLCs. Therefore, the candidate must pass an International exam to prove competency. The skill set is well recognized by the medical community. In addition, we have to earn at least 75 Continuing Education hours per year every year we are certified. Only an IBCLC should be learning your health history, evaluating your breasts and performing a hands on tongue and lip function exam.

Remember the 5 Letters when you are researching your support team prenatally: IBCLC. We have the longest name because we have the most education and credentialing available. International Board Certified Lactation Consultants are the gold standard in lactation care.