As a nurse, you might be wondering why you should become a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor. After all, you already have a great career. Is there any benefit to taking yet another training? Can you even use another certification?
Well, the staff, including RNs, at New York-Presbyterian Hospital knew they could use another certification. Why? Improving breastfeeding rates is a public health concern. By learning evidenced based information about lactation, the staff at NYPH can better support their patients. This in turn improves breastfeeding rates.
NYPH recently partnered with the International Breastfeeding Institute to help dozens of RNs, nurse practitioners, and physician’s assistants become CBCs.
This is why a nurse should become a certified breastfeeding counselor:
Nurses Are Often The First Professional to Support New Moms
As a nurse working in maternity, you are often the first professional supporting a new mom. While many hospitals employ IBCLC lactation consultants, there is typically only one on the floor per shift. They may also have limited hours.
When an RN on the floor is also a certified breastfeeding counselor, they can assist in typical breastfeeding initiation. This also frees up the IBCLC to work with families who are having breastfeeding challenges beyond routine initiation.
As a CBC, you can ensure families have immediate access to evidenced-based lactation support. Rather than a family having to navigate milk supply after incorrect breastfeeding management, you can aid in building a good supply from the start.
Become a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor – It May Increase Your Wage
Some facilities will offer additional wages or a bonus for continued learning and relevant certifications. It is important to check with your facility for their policies.
However, several of our certified breastfeeding counselors can use their certification to further their career. As an IBCLE approved lactation educator, this course might also meet your employer’s required continuing education policies.
If you or your employer have questions about our qualifications, you can reach out to the office at any time! As a partner of multiple health systems, including NYPH, we are familiar with working with hospitals.
Expand, Learn, and Improve Personal Development
Many of us identify as lifelong learners. Even if we didn’t love traditional school, we appreciate always learning and growing. Becoming a CBC is an excellent way to continue to grow and develop both professionally and personally.
The Certified Breastfeeding Counselor course offers comprehensive training in lactation as well as interacting with clients. As nurses, improved people skills and understanding can help us improve our interaction with patients. Even if our patients do not require lactation support, our improved interactions can help them have a more positive experience.
Best of all, we offer not just our basic CBC course (Lactation 101), we offer Advanced Lactation (201). You can continue to learn and grow after becoming a CBC. The Advanced Lactation course is also IBCLE approved and can be used to meet the 90 academic hours required to eventually become an IBCLC.
Turn a Passion Into Profession
Many nurses have areas of passion within their work. It is not uncommon for some maternity nurses to find a passion in supporting patients who are trying to breastfeed. By becoming a certified breastfeeding counselor, you can turn that passion into a profession.
When you add CBC to your title, you have an additional role in supporting the families giving birth at your hospital. You become a key part of the team trying to improve breastfeeding rates. Most importantly, you will be helping families with current evidenced-based practices. While many nurses learn on the floor and remember some from nursing school, lactation recommendations can ebb and flow.
There are many reasons to become a Certified Breastfeeding Counselor. As a maternity nurse, those reasons can truly make a difference in your community and even your country’s breastfeeding rates.