We currently have two courses available online in a self-paced format. You can register and begin these courses at any time.
In-person courses were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and we look forward to offering in-person courses once again in 2022. Please check this page for updates.
The Lactation Counselor Training Course is a comprehensive, evidence-based, college level, breastfeeding management course that includes practical skills, theoretical foundations and competency verification. Basic and complex technical issues are explored within the context of problem solving and counseling strategies. This course prepares participants for professional work in the hospital and in public health and community settings. It trains participants in how to gain insight into clients’ problems with a strong focus on counseling skills. At the end of the course, participants who have completed all competencies may sit for the CLC® examination, the premier national certification in lactation management for the United States, which is administered by the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice (ALPP).
This course utilizes a case study format to develop proficiency in the process of assessment and analysis of the breastfeeding dyad, and to differentiate optimal conditions from those that are sub-optimal, as well as summarize and document the assessment. Major topics covered in the course are optimal and sub-optimal breastfeeding related anatomy of mother and infant, normal and abnormal development of the anatomy and physiology of the breastfeeding mother and baby, breastfeeding assessment tools, breastfeeding assessment and the lexicon of breastfeeding and human lactation.
This course is a prerequisite for the Advanced Issues in Lactation Practice course, which prepares lactation support providers for the Advanced Lactation Consultant or Advanced Nurse Lactation Consultant certification, accredited by ALPP.