So, it's kind of backwards than how I'm sure most people go about it!

I'm beginning my doula training through DONA and I recently came across a 5 day seminar that will be held in April to become a Certified Lactation Specialist. This got me to revisit my passion to become a Lactation Consultant as well.

[font="]"...All areas included on the IBLCE exam are addressed. [/font][font="]The 5 day course provides 45 of the 90 necessary hours of continuing education in lactation to qualify to sit for the IBLCE exam.[/font][font="] Lactation management skills are taught through practical application of scientific principles..." [/font]

After this course I would have 5 years to complete all the requirements for the IBLCE Certification. I plan on working as a doula while taking the higher education courses and such (can I get my clinical hours as a doula?) and then after becoming a lactation consultant work on my associates degree for nursing.

How does that plan sound?? lol. Advice PLEASE.

I think it depends on what your end goal is. When you grow up do you want to be a nurse? Maybe an OB nurse? In my area, there are no LVNs taking care of OB patients, so you'd have to enter the RN program after you get your associates...

Personally, I found the medical system hard to mesh with once I was a doula. Doula work is mostly based on midwifery model of care and that clashes with hospital policies & procedures. Will this frustrate you? I know an RN who was so frustrated at her hospital's treatment of babies that she had to change departments (from L&D to PP) for her sanity.

Some things to think about...

Before realizing that being a doula was something that fit me perfectly, I wanted to be a L&D nurse. I was working towards entrance for years (RN program -- associates, not bachelors). Now that I have had several months digging deeper and deeper into child birth, the hospitals system vs a more natural route (home births, birthing center..where the mother is much more in control), I would think that I would continue my work and ultimately be a certified nurse-midwife or midwife.

Oops, sorry, I though the RN program was bachelor's.

Well, one more thing to think on...at least where I live, in Texas, CNMs are a bit more medical minded (most, but of course not all) and CPMs are more "trust birth, trust your body" types.

Around here, CPMs are the homebirth/birth center midwives and CNMs are hospital or birth center based.

Overall, though, if your goal is to become a midwife, doula & BF skills are all very important so getting certified in these areas will help you be a better midwife someday. I would suggest you consider if maxing out every area is spinning your wheels though. What I mean is, if you are focusing on CBE, doula, and LC on the way to nursing school on the way to midwifery school, is it overkill that will lead to burn out? One birth professional can wear many hats, but does she need to wear them all? So maybe LC is your passion and not so much CBE, so you get training in LC and when you're a midwife, refer your clients out to a CBE class. And for LC, would CAPPA's CLE cert meet your needs while allowing you to progress faster down the path to becoming a midwife?

Of course I don't know you or your life situation. I am married with five children whom I homeschool and we have an active life in church and volunteer work. I can't be a doula, CBE, and LC or I would never see my family, know what I mean? You may be in a place where money for all these certs and time isn't an issue...

Just some thoughts...hopefully more will chime in and give you more feedback.

Thanks for the replies . My wheels are spinning and so I'm trying to see what I should do! I'm posting on here because this is one of those things that my husband supports, but doesn't fully comprehend making a discussion out of it, kwim?? LOL. This is a LIFE plan, so it isn't all happening right now, but over the course of my "career life".

Ahh, anyway, I am a SAHM currently and would love to focus on doula-ing and CBE right now while I raise our family. Our daughter will be in full time kindergarten this fall and our son will start preschool 2 days a week. We are hoping to get pregnant in December with our 3rd, and sadly probably final, child. While I am enjoying my career choice as a doula and CBE, I would slowly be taking classes for LC. I would have 5 years to do this in (I say 5 years, because if I take the 5 day course in April, that is the time allowed if you want to apply those hours). SOoo, 5 years of CBE, doula, and taking a class or 2 a year (I already have some of the pre-reqs).

In 5 years, I will take the exam for the LC cert with IBLCE and hopefully begin the 2 years, full-time, in nursing school (probably more like 5.5 yrs for nursing school). My kiddos will *almost* all be in school full-time, so that would be good . Doula-ing will have to pretty much stop then of course, but I could still continue with CBE since that will be a scheduled class.

7.5 years from now, I could be a nurse ..probably work in L&D or Peds, or NICU for a however long and then have a better chance at getting a job as a LC. I would love to actually be a LC in a hospital.. helping misinformed brand new mothers make the best decision in that moment.

After all of that, if I still want to move forward, Midwifery will be next . I'm only 25, so who knows what I'll like best and stick with! I'm thankful that my husband is our breadwinner and I am able to explore my options.

**I really wouldn't do the IBLC route until after nursing school, but I'm interested in taking this 5 day seminar and wouldn't want to loose the hours.

You used to have to have a bachelor's degree to be an IBCLC. Has that changed?

G, it seems that things change about every 3ish years with IBLCE. you no longer need a bachelors but the complementary education component has become more stringent and the lactation specific education has doubled, however the direct breastfeeding counseling hours have decreased which I cannot understand. This change is new for the 2012 candidates. IBLCE seems to be gearing its credentialing more toward hospital-based, medical- minded candidates. Are you pondering this route?

The 5 day CLC course will be so beneficial to everything you are doing right now in the birth community with pregnant families, and useful for whatever your future plan is to contine on the path of IBCLC requirements.

No, not any more. I was qualified to sit for the exam but that was the year I moved up here and couldn't afford to get to a testing.

I think its a difficult title to achieve. And expensive....

Yes . I have my potential "life plan" all posted in my long reply to Wendy . I think working in a hospital as a LC would be a good thing. Most hospital based LC are coming strictly from a nursing background and they have been in the medical field for a number of years and simply wanted a change. I am beginning at the doula stage, so with my philosophy following me throught getting my nursing degree and LC, I believe I would be more beneficial to women who have given birth in the hospital scene, where anything but the natural/normal way is pushed.

Both of my birthing experiences thus far were in a hospital. I never even considered formula at any time in my life, but I will say that I never felt any passion from the LC or warmness. I hope if that's the route I take, that I can change that a bit in the hospital world.

Great Thank you so so much <3 I really wanted to hear someone say the 5 day course was good regardless.

I appreciate everyone's input!

Just getting back to this...so many options before you! Just wondering why you feel doualing will work while you have a new born but not when kids are in school full time? Seems easier to me to doula when the kids are outside the home most the day and have someone do school pickup & after school care...just my thoughts but I homeschool so its likely I'm not thinking through the situation...

Oh of course it will work while my kids are in school , but there's no reason I shouldnt/ couldn't go back to school as well if I want to pursue more....again, that's 5 years from now and a newborn is at the very soonest over a year and a half away, but could be as longer. We are fortunate enough to have a few family members just minutes away.

Oops, I guess I thought you meant doula work had to stop because of the kids being in school.