Step 1: Become a Lactation Education Specialist

Starting your lactation education journey? Begin here!

BreastfeedLA’s 45-hour Lactation Education Specialist (LES) course equips community health workers and others with essential skills in breastfeeding management, including anatomy, positioning, challenges, counseling, and more. Graduates earn the title “Certificated Lactation Education Specialist” (CLES), valid for five years. Renewal is available by application. For more details, please email us.
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Step 2: Complete your Lactation Consultant Education

BreastfeedLA’s Lactation Consultant Education course offers the additional 50 hours needed for the IBLCE certification exam. This advanced program equips graduates with essential skills to transition from educator to clinician while meeting the updated requirements, including 5 hours of counseling training. To enroll, a prerequisite of BreastfeedLA’s LES course or a comparable 45-hour lactation education program from the past five years is required.

Step 3: Get your Clinical Training hours

BreastfeedLA’s Clinical Lactation Training (CLT) Program offers graduates of the 95-hour Lactation Consultant Education course hands-on experience in clinical lactation management. Students are paired with an experienced IBCLC mentor in local healthcare facilities in Los Angeles, gaining practical exposure to IBLCE competencies. This program supports candidates for pathways 1 and 3, providing 500-1000 hours of clinical experience necessary to prepare for the IBCLC exam.
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