IBLCE provides 3 ways that candidates, health care professionals or non-health professionals, can obtain the required clinical practice in lactation and breastfeeding care:
- Pathway 1 – Completing a minimum of 1000 hours of of lactation specific clinical practise in an appropriate supervised setting within the 5 years immediately prior to examination application.
OR
- Pathway 2 – Completing an accredited lactation academic programme that includes at least 300 hours of directly supervised lactation specific clinical practise within the 5 years immediately prior to examination application.
OR
- Pathway 3 – Completing an IBLCE-verified Pathway 3 Plan of at least 500 hours of directly supervised lactation specific clinical practise with an IBCLC as described in the Pathway 3 Plan Guide and obtained within the 5 years immediately prior to examination application.
Please note that personal experience breastfeeding your own children and experience helping family members and friends cannot be used to qualify for the IBCLC examination.