Compare to other courses

How many contact hours are provided? 

LEC’s 5 day CLS course provides 46 L CERPS and nursing CEUs which  include 1 E CERP. The ACCL offers 21 CERPs/Nursing CEUs which includes 1.5 E CERPs.

How many faculty members are present to teach the course during several days of instruction? 

The course was developed in 1995 and is updated several times a year as new information about breastfeeding and lactation management become available. For the CLS course, there are usually three instructors, though occasionally there will be two. The Cram Course and the Advanced Course are each taught by two instructors.

Are the faculty members currently IBCLCs? Are they working and practicing in the field?

All faculty are IBCLCs. Many have been for over 20 years and have taken the IBLCE exam at least four times. While several instructors have retired from actively working with parents and babies, most are still seeing families for lactation issues on a regular basis.   

Can you receive a topical outline prior to attending the course? 

A list of topics from A to Z is available.    Does the course follow the IBLCE exam grid and are areas thoroughly covered?  Subject matter for both courses was developed based on the IBLCE exam grid.   

Does the syllabus cover all subjects in detail? Will you be able to use the syllabus as a study guide? 

The syllabus for the Certified Lactation Specialist Course is over 700 pages of original material with citations for important articles and research. The syllabus for the Cram/Review Course is over 350 pages with hundreds of research articles cited.  Both syllabus include power point for ease of following the lectures and further study.  

Will you learn how to function as a lactation consultant?

The primary goal of LEC is to teach you to function as a lactation consultant. You will also be prepared to counsel and teach breastfeeding mothers.   

Do you receive information about practicing in different venues from practitioners who have actually worked in those areas?  

LEC's faculty are practicing clinicians who are employed as IBCLCs in WIC, hospital, private practice, and a pediatric practice.

Are the faculty available for advice and mentoring after graduation?  

LEC's faculty is available to provide distance mentoring to you after you graduate.   

What types of teaching methods are utilized during the CLS course?  Role Plays, humor, brainstorming, interactive consultations, videos, case studies, and discussion are among the many techniques used in the classroom course.    

How long has the program been in existence?  

The Lactation Consultant Prep Course/Certified Lactation Specialist Course has been in existence since 1995.  Originally under the auspices of Breastfeeding Support Consultants, the course moved to LEC with three of the original 4 instructors in 2000.  In 2008, the course began to provide an end of course certification.  The Cram/Review Course has been taught since 2000.   

Does the program include, reviews, study strategies and a practice exam based on the IBLCE exam? 

The course is designed to prepare participants to sit for the IBLCE board exam.  The exam given at the end of the course is structured like the IBLCE exam with questions and pictures.  

Does the program offer CERPS, nursing and dietetic CEUs? 

LEC is a long term provider with IBLCE and grants CERPS. LEC Provides nursing CEUs through the CA Board of Registered Nursing. Dietetic CEUs are also available.