Each International Board Certified Lactation Consultant® (IBCLC®) is required to gain and update their knowledge of lactation and the infancy period. One of the best gifts we can give to the families we serve is to be up to date on the latest in evidence-based care. IBCLCs are required to either retake the certification exam or recertify with Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) every five years (recertification by exam only is required every ten years). CERPS can be obtained through conference attendance, webinar viewing, study modules, in-person education, eCourses, and a variety of other means.
We have developed a short survey to better understand how you are receiving your required continuing education and to learn how we can better help you to obtain it. Click on the button to participate in this quick poll. It should take less than 5 minutes to complete.
You do not need to be an ILCA member to participate in our quick poll. We are interested in hearing from everyone in the professional lactation community.
If you have any questions about ILCA’s continuing education offerings, please email education@ilca.org.
On March 7, 2012, International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) globally will celebrate their 11th official Annual IBCLC Day. Although it’s not a public holiday, we urge you to take the time to plan a celebration with your colleagues, friends or within the facility where you work .
This year’s IBCLC Day theme, IBCLCs Make an Impact, highlights the positive, far-reaching impact the expertise and care of an IBCLC have on the health of mothers, babies, families and communities as presented in ILCA’s newest position paper, “Role and Impact of the IBCLC.” This paper is a free download to members, or a small cost from the bookstore. Also, take some time to check out ILCA‘s website and the IBCLC Day products. It’s not too late to purchase some of these useful products. They are limited and are selling fast. Order today online to ensure it arrives on time and avoid disappointment. Or submit and order by fax or mail, using the IBCLC Day Order Form.
For ILCA members, we have several colorful resources available to download from the Members Only section of the website, including: Free certificates and editable certificates posters, proclamations, press release and many more.
So, start planning your celebration today to recognize that ‘IBCLCs, make an impact’ in your area and to help spread awareness of our Lactation profession!
Be prepared…plan to send your free eCard to your colleagues today, organise a lunch, morning or afternoon tea celebration, start baking a special cake and use the very cute free Cake art. Purchase a gift from the ILCA bookstore to say thank you to your IBCLCs! Check out all of the other great ideas on the ILCA website www.ilca.org while you’re there.
ILCA and IBLCE co sponsor this special IBCLC Day and thank Genevieve Becker, this year’s author of the materials.
IBCLCs Day celebrations begin this week with a special feature of ILCA’s Lactation Matters Blog.
This is our inaugural IBCLC Day Lactation Matters blog and we have contacted IBCLCs around the world to share a memorable experience of being an IBCLC with us.
We would love to hear how you celebrated your special IBCLC Day or how your organisation recognised you and your profession. Share your story of your celebrations, include any photos, and email to lactationmatters@gmail.com today.
Ok it’s up to you… Plan the date, order your gifts, share your story, activities and photos with us!
As Lactation Matters enters 2012, we would like to revisit our mission and assess if we are meeting your professional needs. As we launched this blog in August 2011, our goals were to:
Nurture your education and self-confidence as a health-care professional and lactation consultant
Provide insight into current lactation research
Share stories about the different facets of our profession and how lactation consultants are practicing around the world
Report global breastfeeding movements and events
Share tricks of the trade
Are we meeting these goals for you?
In which areas would you like to see more articles? Which experts would you like to learn from?
Are you interested in sharing YOUR story?
Please take a few minutes to answer our poll so that we may increasingly meet your professional needs in the upcoming year.
Also, we have a one question survey we would love if you would answer. Please click below on the ‘Take Our Survey’ button:
As always, if you find an article that you feel your colleagues would benefit from, please link to it from your Facebook page or Twitter account and add comments to the bottom of the blog to keep the conversation going. If you are interested in submitting an article to Lactation Matters, please contact us at lactationmatters@gmail.com.