Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
The smart way to create a compassionate and professional lactation private practice, hosted by private practice IBCLCs Annie Frisbie and Leah Jolly.
Leah Jolly is a private practice IBCLC with Bay Area Breastfeeding in Houston, Texas.
Annie Frisbie is a private practice IBCLC serving Queens and Brooklyn in New York City and the creator of the Lactation Consultant Private Practice Toolkit.
Tune in each week to learn all the ins and outs of running a successful private practice lactation business!
Connect with Leah and Annie:
On Instagram: @lactationbusinesscoaching
On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lactationbusinesscoaching
On YouTube: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLv3-4pMgjlzbXD9KWFCIV3-1LipsTbgsj
Leah: Hey there, Annie.
Annie: Hey, Leah. How's it going?
Leah: It's going really well. And I'm so excited to be back at podcasting. We took a little break over the summer, which was nice pandemic. fatigue was setting in. So it was great to have some space to clear mind and come up with new ideas and new content and fun, exciting planning. It was great to have that new, fresh energy. How about you?
Annie: I really enjoyed having a break, but I really miss talking with you. It's just, it's too much fun. And I'm also like looking at all the ideas that you and I both came up with during our hiatus and also all of the experts that we have lined up for our ask the expert episodes. It's like, okay, come on already. I'm ready to get back to it.
Leah: I know. I'm so excited. We have so much exciting content planned. You're going to love this season of Lactation Business Coaching. It's going to be awesome. And we're starting like at the beginning,
Annie: right at the beginning,
Leah: right at the beginning. So how to become an IBCLC. And I think this is a great place to start this season because I don't know about you, Annie, but I get this asked this question a lot all the time.
Annie: And I get like, Random questions. I think I want to become a lactation consultants and they come by Instagram DM. They come on Facebook. It's some person at the store when I'm, you know, getting groceries, you know, behind the mask. Oh, like, how did you even know I was a lactation consultant? You can just tell.
Leah: Was it the shirt that gave it away?
Annie: Was it my boob teeth? Definitely.
Leah: I feel like mine is always like maybe repeat clients and they've found out that like they're super passionate about breastfeeding and they're like, I think I want to be a lactation consultant just like you. And then I'm like, Oh wow. Okay. You have some journey ahead of you and I want to be able to explain it in a way that's going to make sense. So I'm excited that we did this podcast because I'm like, okay, it's going to put all our thoughts together and, and then I could just like, Hey, I'll send you a link to a podcast that talks all about it.
Annie: So first I think we should start off by just defining what IBCLC stands for. And it's quite a mouthful. I find it hard sometimes to say, and I've talked on here before about my weird Maryland accent and I'm like, if I say it too fast, it's like how to become an obvious CLC. And I'm like, that doesn't sound good. It's an IBCLC, which stands for international board certified lactation consultant.
Leah: Yes. Okay. Bye. It is definitely a mouthful. I wish that there was a way that they could shrink that down or like have it be an acronym, but it's not. So we just say the whole shebang, but I think a lot of people just think that our title is lactation consultant, you know, but there's more, more letters than that.
Annie: And what it means is that to be an IBCLC, we have passed a rigorous exam and have had to go through in person hands on training. So we've done some education. So you've got to have a certain number of hours of clinical education, and then you need to get some kind of supervised mentored hours. And the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners who issues this credential gives you three different pathways to choose from. So the first pathway is if you are working as a volunteer or in some capacity helping with an accredited One of the organizations that it will see recognizes. So La Leche League, Breastfeeding USA, where you are a volunteer, but you're being supervised as a volunteer and you're doing leading support groups, doing phone calls, this is not something you can do on your own. It's not something you can just say. I am. I've just decided to run a breastfeeding support group. You need to be connected with a recognized organization and they have lists. They can tell you if you're, if you're working in that capacity, you could also be working as if you are already a healthcare provider. So if you are a registered nurse, if you're a doctor, a midwife, and you want to add IBCLC to the list of credentials after your name,
Leah: And then we have pathway two that is accredited lactation academic programs. So these might be universities or other programs that encompass the lactation specific education. Sometimes the college credit hours, and then they would have a mentorship part of that as well. So you get that hands on portion that all three pathways actually require.
Annie: The most common way that people are becoming lactation consultants more and more is through pathway three, which is pursuing an in person mentorship where you are basically Working under someone who's training you how to be a lactation consultant. So this requires having one person who is taking responsibility for your education. You've created a clinical relationship with them. They are helping you plan your clinical education, making sure you're getting training in all of the different areas. And at some point when you're ready. You're actually going to be doing hands on work with clients under their supervision. And this can take a long time. All of these being a pathway to where you're already a doctor does not take that long. I'm told, but I'm not a doctor, so I don't know, but both pathway one and pathway three do require an investment of time in this and money. It's not something you can do overnight.
Leah: I think that's what surprises people the most is that it is one takes quite a bit of time and two that it requires so many hours in the either mentorship or time that you're being in a volunteer capacity and supervised hours. And I think that's probably the thing that most people are like, whoa, I had no idea it was such a rigorous. process just to be able to sit for the exam. So you have, when you're going through these pathways, you have to complete all of your education and that's, you know, some college based classes that are just some general classes and then also some lactation specific education and then be doing your mentoring or in conjunction on the same timeline doing your mentoring and supervision, supervised work, you know, hands on and learning those hands on skills. Then you can sit for the exam once all of that is completed, and then if you pass the exam, then you can be an IBCLC. So there's definitely some steps to it, you know, and I know I, we had a very similar journey, I believe. You know, I went through, uh, pathway one, so I was a La Leche League leader. I am still a La Leche League leader for the last 16 years. And, uh, it was that, that kind of led me. I didn't even realize, I think way back then that there was like a huge difference between a La Leche League leader and a lactation consultant. Like when I very first. I was like, Oh, just like all the boob people are all the same. It wasn't till after I got into La Leche League that I was like, Oh, wow. There's like people who do this for a job. And it wasn't then for very many years that until I decided to like take the leap and do it and move towards being an IBCLC and sitting for the exam. And I think you probably had a similar journey, right?
Annie: Yeah. Mine was similar in that I was, I started out as a La Leche League leader and that's how I got my clinical hours. What was different for me was that I became a La Leche League leader because it was a stepping stone to IBCLC and which at that time I found out I was as a leader, you know, people would be like, do you know that there are people that become leaders just so they can become lactation consultants? And then they quit. And I was like, you know, Oh no, I don't want them to think I'm that person kind of am that person. So I'm going to basically never quit La Leche League just right. And it took me, I did, I did retire, but I did stay a leader for eight years, I think something like that. And I was like, after eight years, I was like, I think I proved to them that I didn't just become a leader to become a lactation consultant. I feel like I'm safe.
Leah: Yeah, I heard that it was kind of like the, you know, the stigma, like, Oh, you just doing this to be a lactation consultant, but yeah, that's awesome that you got to stick around because it definitely gives you like, I don't know, I think it gives you so many kind of varied skills and that counseling and, and just kind of the approach that La Leche League has is, I think, unique and really great way to build our skills.
Annie: I agree. I mean, I really appreciated that I could volunteer, that I could give my time. I did learn a lot in terms, you know, just talking with, you know, the families that came to the groups and doing phone support was really invaluable. I think, and I will say that I didn't do a lot of research into the other pathways. And I think I was also sort of like, I mean, anybody who's a La Leche League leader can understand exactly how this conversation went. I was like, I think it sounds really cool to be a lactation consultant. And when I said it to my La Leche League leader, who was leading my meeting, she was like, let me help you with that. And like, and I totally got like recruited and um, I think I was a leader. I became a leader by the time my older daughter was 15 months old, which is about as like quick as somebody can do it. And I do kind of that is. I mean, I was like, I think I feel like I was on like our Yahoo group. And I was like, is there such a thing as like volunteering? And they were like, we got a live one, kids. So whatever she wants. So I actually never researched the option of doing the pathway three. And I will say that. There are a lot of deficiencies in the pathway one experience. I think if you're working with the right La La Chile community, and I really love the leaders that I had access to as a leader, but I was very deficient in hands on clinical skills after I passed the exam. And I actually took about another year after passing the exam to pursue those hands on skills, because I was like, I don't know what I'm doing. I don't, I've never seen anybody do. a consult, except for the consult that was done, that I had it as a, as a new mom. So, yeah.
Leah: Yeah. I do think that is a, you know, an area that can be a real challenge because as electrolyte leaders, a lot of, I mean, they're really supposed to be hands off. You're not doing oral exams. You're not like assessing breast tissue or anything like that. So it is important that. Even if you go through that pathway, you know, making sure you have those hands on skills and working with someone that might mentor you even like unrelated to needing it hours for you to sit for the exam, it will definitely do you a great service. If you go through the time to have that skill and be able to really serve as a whole lactation consultant, you know, the whole thing, the whole package, when you get out there and start working. So along your journey, Annie, did you feel like you had any advice that you were like, I am so thankful that I took that advice or I wish I had taken that advice, maybe that, was there anything that really stood out to you in your journey?
Annie: Yeah, definitely. I remember being told, or by, you know, the leaders that I was working with that IBCLCs see things that are way more complicated than what is coming out in a typical meeting. And I was also told that You know, once you're in private practice for a while working with families, it's going to change how you see just the everyday stuff. And, and I think like how I might translate that now to somebody who's really thinking about, do I want to become a lactation consultant? Is, you want to become an IBCLC if you really want to be working with complex situations. And you have to also have a belief that things can be complicated. So, yes, human lactation is normal. Breastfeeding is biologically appropriate. Human milk is what babies are, you know, biologically appropriate for them to eat. Sure, we know all of these things, but as an IBCLC, I need to be comfortable and enthusiastic even about helping families who are pumping their milk, feeding by bottle, and I really need to be able to do that in a way that is not colored by just kind of any kind of like mottos or simplistic thinking. It's so much more than just, you know, we don't go in and like latch your baby. Like that's like, like 0 percent of what my job is, is going to your house and latching your baby. Like, I don't do that. It's a lot deeper than that. So for somebody that really, you know, you might be listening to this and might be thinking, gosh, that doesn't, that kind of sounds like a drag. There are other ways that you can work in breastfeeding. without getting involved in the very complex clinical situations that IBCLCs are trained for. There are other breastfeeding credentials that are great for like, do you want to run support groups? Yeah, that's such a need for that. Teach prenatals. There's so many things you can do that are not that. So if Unless it really appeals to you to have things be complicated and difficult. I guess that's what this work is. That's what being an IBCLC is as opposed to working in another breastfeeding credential.
Leah: Yeah. I think I had the misconception a little bit because I, you know, had been a leader for quite a while before I became an IBCLC and thinking like, Oh, I'm just going to take kind of what I'm doing in leadership and, you know, a little bit more complex and more hands on. But It's not going to be that different, you know, just to be a paid for position, you know, and a little bit more complex. And, you know, definitely found out that like, it's so much more complex. And I really, the piece of advice that I got and so grateful for was a kind of like, hey, heads up, you're going to have to always be learning like this is super complicated. And I think it was when I was taking my training, I guess it wasn't. After I became an IBCLC that I realized how complex it was. It was during when I was taking my lactation education specific classes, you know, I was like, oh my gosh, like this is And it just thrilled me. I was like, whoa, this is so much. It's so so cool And it really excited me and I think it is important if you're just like no, I don't want to get into like hormones and you know infant development and you know oral structures and you know Babies with cardiac issues. You know, it's just like if you don't wanna have to think it through all those things, we need people who are really good at just helping babies get latched on well, or supporting families as they are learning about breastfeeding you in that prenatal setting and that kind of thing. So it is really interesting that you mentioned that because I think that was something that came up for me as well and kind of as we think, like after we got. through, you know, taking the exam and now we're IBCLCs. Was there anything that like really surprised you?
Annie: Yeah, this is a super specific thing, but when I was studying for the exam and, you know, spending all my time on the, you know, exam prep and quizzing myself and memorizing how many kilocalories are in an ounce of breast milk, which, um, I will never know the answer to that question. I don't care. It's like fled from my mind if I ever did know it. But I was told, you really need to read these books, you really need to read Supporting Sucking Skills, and books like that, and then, but I was told, read them after you take the exam, because if you read them now, you're not going to understand them, but as soon as you're done taking the exam, You're going to be able to process what is in these complicated books. And I was like, how can that be? My brain is my brain. It works all the time. And that was 100 percent true. Like I was like, I have no idea what this is talking about. And as soon as I was done answering all those questions, all of a sudden my brain opened up all this space and was like, yeah, now I can absorb and soak up the advanced information. That was really surprising. What about you? Any surprises for you?
Leah: I think You know, the biggest surprise maybe over the years, not immediately following the taking of the exam, you know, I jumped right into private practice right away, which was great. You know, I just like hit the floor running, so to speak. But the biggest surprise was just like how I've grown and developed and learned and evolved in my skills, in my focuses of interest, like things that I feel like I'm really good at. You know, that has been constantly changing and, you know, that's something else that I would encourage, you know, a piece of advice out to the listeners that are interested. Like this isn't going to be a job that you're going to jump in, you're going to take this test, you're going to know everything and then you're like done and you're just going to go out and do your job and, and like be done with it, with learning. It's something that's like so constantly evolving and you'll constantly evolve. Like the things I've connected more and more over the years, it's kind of exciting to me. I'm like, Oh, this thing that I learned here, now I'm connecting it here. Oh, I went to this new class and it really puts this whole other thing that I learned, you know, a couple years ago in a completely different perspective, you know, and it's just like, your brain is like constantly making these new connections and seeing things differently. I mean, I think back, like how I would see babies differently. I can think back to babies that I'm like, Oh, I see them so differently now, or a parent that I'm like, Oh my gosh, now I see. see this, you know, it's just really interesting. That's really surprised me. Cause when you have been a little eclectic leader for several years and then you take all these lactation classes and you sit for that exam, you think how much more could there possibly be? Like I feel like my brain is full of all the information that ever was created about lactation. You know, I read the entire book of Reardon Lawrence, you know, the What is it? Human? Gosh, why can't I think of the name of that book?
Annie: Yeah, Breastfeeding and Human lactation.
Leah: Yeah, I think that's it. Sorry, that book, I'm terrible at referencing the complete title of books, but you know what book I mean. I read that thing cover to cover. So I'm like, there ain't nothing else out there. And wow, there is. So much out there and there's like so much always coming on the horizon. I'm like, Oh my gosh, there's so much to know. And it's, it's really a cool journey. I would say, do you think the same way?
Annie: Yeah, because you know, you think like, especially as a leader and because being a leader meant that I had breastfed by the time I took the exam, I was already breastfeeding baby number two. I really felt like I'd seen it all. Like they both had tongue ties. The second one went through a nursing strike. There was like, I. You know, done all the things and I'm like, yeah, surely, surely this qualifies me. And now, you know, almost, you know, so for me, it's been nine years since I, I passed the exam the first time and I have to take it again next year, which is not fair because I really have already, I still have, I mean, I have all the continuing education than some, because I really can't learn too much. And I think, you know, just to kind of add one more thing that I guess also surprised me was. You know, I had to memorize all these like things about statistics to pass the exam, which was a class I had in college. And it's something where I find it really, it's really hard for me to read those research studies. I really I'm still reliant on somebody else interpreting them for me. And so you know, one thing in terms of continuing education, If you're, you feel like I do, then I'm offering a course right now that's taught by Hope Lima, who is a PhD and an IBCLC. And it's all about teaching people like me who are in private practice that when our clients ask us really complicated questions, we're like, I've never come across that before. And believe me, it happens all the time. Instead of trying to or think what mentor am I going to ask? She's going to teach. Me how to actually go to the research and assess What study is a good study? What study is not a good study? What if I get what if i'm reading two different things from two different good studies? Like these are the kind of skills that like nine years later I'm, like wow, that would be a really amazing skill to have and so if you're interested in that class and joining us It's starting really soon You can sign up at learn. anniefrisbee. com.
Leah: Yeah, I think there are some surprising parts of being a lactation consultant in our learning that you might not like that. You know, that you didn't expect would be part of it. A lot about ethics and a lot about global health issues and global. You know, like, you know, how lactation affects the world as a whole, you know, and I, I thought that was so interesting because you kind of get a little sheltered into what's going on around you and you don't really have that global perspective, but that's something that you have to learn to be able to pass the exam. And that was so valuable, you know, I think that was like surprising, but also super valuable and, you know, things that I probably would not have. sought out as easily or had access to that information. So yes, that's what makes us international board certified lactation consultants, because the exam is the same for all around the whole entire world, just written up in different languages. So when you are taking the exam, you know, it's from a global perspective, which was a neat thing to learn and to You know, process all the questions through that perspective was really eye opening to me and has definitely helped shape my perspectives when it comes to now assisting families to be able to see like this more global perspective. So all of you out there that are thinking about becoming an IBCLC, we hope that this information was helpful and maybe gave you some. things to think through as you're, you're deciding what pathway you might want to go through, or if being an IBCLC is right for you. I hope that this was helpful.
Annie: Definitely. And if you're listening to this on the day it comes out, some of you are days away from taking the exam. And I I just want to send you a great big giant hug through your earbuds, earpods, through your earbuds, which is like the most socially distant way to hug somebody, hug, hug, hug. You're going to be amazing. You have worked really hard to get to this point. It's just a test. You're going to do this. Like literally no, I think you have to want to fail to fail the exam if you've actually put work into it. And I know you have, if you're listening to this podcast, I know you've put the work into it. You can do this. We are rooting for you.
Leah: Yes. And we can't wait for you to join the troops of IBCLCs across the world. We can't wait to have you. Awesome. Well, it was fun talking to you today, Annie. I'm so excited about our new season. I can't wait for all the fun things we have planned, all the amazing experts, our deeper dives. And we bring experts on and we really dive into the topic that's going to help build your business. It's going to help build your skills and your knowledge about running a business and how to be an awesome private practice lactation consultant.
Annie: Until next time, great to talk to you, Leah. See you soon. Bye.