Enhancing the IBCLC Global Presence | | As an IBCLC® or candidate working towards the credential which signifies the gold standard in professional lactation care, you are part of a global community of lactation leaders. IBLCE® works continuously to elevate the profile and recognition of the IBCLC and the important care IBCLCs provide. | | Fostering Connections for the IBCLC in Australia | |
The Asia-Pacific & Australia (APA) IBLCE team participated in the Annual Women’s & Children’s Health Update 2026 in Melbourne, Australia in March. The Update promotes the prevention and treatment of women’s and children’s health issues. Exhibitors from all aspects of health were in attendance, including breastfeeding advocacy exhibitors promoting the importance of breastfeeding to the 3,100 health professional delegates. The IBLCE team promoted the importance of the IBCLC as an important vehicle for health professionals' lifelong learning, equipping them to provide evidence-based care to families.
IBLCE also exhibited in Perth, Australia at the Perinatal Society of Australia and New Zealand with co-hosts the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies. The 1,120 delegates came from all over the world to join this three-day conference. This provided the opportunity to provide information on the importance of the IBCLC to clinicians as well as researchers, managers, neonatal support services and directors of neonatal services, as well as connecting with current IBCLCs.
| | 2026 IBCLC Care Award Results Announced! | | |
Congratulations to the 2026 IBCLC Care Award recipients! This year, 89 hospital-based and 33 community-based applications from around the world have been recognised!
This award, a joint initiative of IBLCE, an independent credentialing organisation, and an independent professional association, the International Lactation Consultant Association® (ILCA), declares to awardees’ communities that their facilities recognise the important role that IBCLCs play in promoting, protecting, and supporting breastfeeding!
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Among the benefits to recipients of the IBCLC Care Award are:
- Enhanced attractiveness to potential patients or clients
- Competitive edge in recruiting IBCLCs, nurses, midwives, peer support counsellors, and other staff
- Good will in the community by providing the gold standard of lactation care in helping new families reach their breastfeeding goals
The IBCLC Care Award may be just what you’re looking for—learn more at the Care Award website and begin planning to apply in 2027 so that your Hospital-Based Facility or Community-Based Agency can be added to the growing list of IBCLC Care Award recipients!
| | Preferred Provider FAQs Available | | IBLCE has added a series of frequently asked questions, or FAQs, to its website, providing answers to commonly asked questions regarding the Preferred Provider Programme, which is an update of the previously named CERPs programme. The information is intended as a helpful tool offering guidance to Preferred Providers and may be updated periodically. Preferred Providers are responsible for reviewing and meeting the requirements outlined in the Preferred Provider Guide and related policies. | | What Is the Significance of Intellectual Property to IBCLCs? | | |
Intellectual property is typically defined as an idea, creation, or process derived from the intellect, or the rights or registration protecting such material (Merriam-Webster.com).
Of the many reasons why intellectual property is significant, most fundamentally, intellectual property is significant as it has meaning as defined by, and associated with, its creator.
If you have created a presentation, an article, or a book, you may have intellectual property. IBLCE's intellectual property includes, most notably, its trademarks including for the IBCLC programme. A trademark is a word, phrase, design, or combination of such elements that identifies goods or services, differentiates from the goods or services of others, and indicates the source of the goods or services.
Both "International Board Certified Lactation Consultant" and "IBCLC" are IBLCE-owned trademarks. They signify excellence in professional breastfeeding care, both in association with IBLCE and as defined by IBLCE in terms of the comprehensive eligibility requirements, a professional certification examination, rigorous recertification requirements, and adherence to the Code of Professional Conduct for IBCLCs. IBLCE carefully prescribes how these terms may be used to protect both consumers who associate the terms with highly skilled lactation care, as well as the lactation professionals who have met objective and rigorous requirements to earn the credential. IBLCE also makes a financial investment to support its legal rights to these terms, safeguarding their integrity and the value of their meaning.
The appropriate use of the terms is governed by IBLCE’s Trademark Use Policy and the Code of Professional Conduct for IBCLCs. See the Trademark Use Policy, page 4, for detailed examples of both appropriate and inappropriate use. All IBCLCs should be familiar with the proper uses of these terms to protect the integrity of the mark for breastfeeding families.
| | Introducing IBLCE’s Newest Coordinators: Romania and Italy | | IBLCE is pleased to welcome the newest IBLCE Coordinators in its global network! Luciana Stehlik, IBCLC, will serve as Coordinator for Romania, and Alessia Melacca, RM, MSc, PgDip, PhD, IBCLC, will serve as Coordinator for Italy. | | Luciana Stehlik, IBLCE Coordinator for Romania | | Alessia Melacca, IBLCE Coordinator for Italy | | IBCLCs and examination candidates in Romania can contact their new Coordinator regarding IBCLC certification at romania@iblce.org, and those in Italy can reach out to italy@iblce.org. | | IBCLC Examination Planned in Arabic | | |
In March 2026, the IBCLC Commission announced an exciting development in the ongoing commitment to advancing global professional practice in lactation consultation. Pursuant to the Translation of the IBCLC Examination into a Language Policy, IBLCE and the IBCLC Commission plan to introduce the IBCLC examination in the Arabic language for the September 2027 examination administration. Arabic is spoken by over 400 million people worldwide and is one of the official languages of the World Health Organization.
Applications of intent for Pathway 1 and Pathway 3 candidates, in both Arabic and English, are available on the IBCLC Commission website through June 1, 2026.
| | 2027 IBCLC Programme Dates Announced | | |
The IBCLC examination is offered twice a year, in March and/or April (English) and in September (in the 11 IBCLC examination administration languages).
The schedule for application and administration of the 2027 IBCLC examination is as follows:
| | Applications open 4 -5 months in advance of each examination administration. | | |
March 23 – April 1, 2027
(English only)
| | | The IBCLC Commission has approved the use of Live Remote Proctoring (LRP) for IBCLC examination administrations moving forward. | | |
Deadline to Apply: September 30, 2027
(17 IBLCE Languages)
The CE Self-Assessment became available in 17 languages in January 2024 to IBCLCs due to recertify in 2027.
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Find more key dates here.
Check back on the IBCLC Commission website for updates as we approach the 2027 IBCLC examination administrations.
Learn more to prepare for IBCLC certification or recertification in 2027:
| | Live Remote Proctoring (LRP) Examination Administration to be Offered in French in September 2026 | | |
We are pleased to introduce LRP examinations in French in September 2026! LRP examination administrations were previously only provided in English and Spanish by our third-party testing vendor.
LRP allows candidates to take a professional, computer-based test on their own computer equipment in their home, with security and testing practices in place that are similar to that of a testing centre.
Details about taking an examination administration through the LRP option are available in English, French, and Spanish. Candidates planning to take the IBCLC examination through the LRP option should review LRP information thoroughly.
| | Feature: Pathway Two Programme Profile:
National Louis University | | |
Profiles of Pathway Two programmes providing academic options to those interested in pursuing careers in lactation will be published periodically in future editions of this Briefing.
Of the three pathways to the IBCLC, Pathway Two, or an academic lactation programme, provides a comprehensive route to eligibility for the IBCLC professional certification examination and credential.
There are currently eight institutions of higher learning which provide this streamlined route to eligibility for the IBCLC.
In this edition of the Briefing, we profile the Pathway Two programmes at National Louis University.
National Louis University (NLU) is home to two degree-bearing Pathway Two programmes in lactation: a Bachelor of Science in Maternal Child Health: Human Lactation as well as a Master of Arts in Human Lactation Studies. The programmes are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP) in cooperation with the Lactation Education Academic Accreditation Review Committee (LEAARC).
Based in Chicago, Illinois yet delivered online to students worldwide, these programmes offer academic degrees towards the IBCLC, with eligibility for Federal financial aid and GI Bill benefits for US students. NLU increases accessibility for students pursuing the IBCLC as well as for those seeking academic lactation degrees.
| | Founded in 1886 to champion the youngest and most vulnerable, NLU offers an inclusive, innovative community to inspire and empower learners. Its historical legacy was put to the test in 2023, when Union Institute & University abruptly closed, potentially ending students' years of progress on their journey towards the IBCLC. NLU stepped in to meet those students’ needs. Recognising a mission-aligned match, NLU brought Union students studying lactation into a new academic home at NLU. Throughout a time of uncertainty, Dr Mary Miller met weekly with displaced students and worked with NLU to establish these programmes at its new academic institution. | | Program Director Dr Mary Miller (far right) and graduates celebrate with Louie the NLU Eagle | | Focused on evidence-based practice, National Louis University is producing graduates who are already shaping the field by serving on professional boards, presenting research nationally, and practising across hospitals, clinics, and private practice. The programmes are led by Mary Miller, PhD, IBCLC, Program Director, and Jennifer Rothrock, MA, IBCLC, Clinical Coordinator. | |
Changes to the Disciplinary Procedures for the Code of Professional Conduct for IBCLCs
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The IBCLC Commission’s Ethics & Discipline (E&D) Committee works hard to protect the credibility of the IBCLC credential and the welfare of breastfeeding families worldwide. The E&D Committee is comprised of IBCLCs as well as public members. IBCLCs are encouraged to uphold high standards of ethical behaviour, and the E&D Committee is charged by the IBCLC Commission with investigating and resolving alleged violations. The process is designed to be fair and balanced, both with respect to the IBCLCs as well as those stakeholders filing complaints. Revisions were recently made to the Procedures to enhance the efficiency of the process.
IBCLC certificants are guided in their professional practice by the Code of Professional Conduct for IBCLCs (CPC). The Disciplinary Procedures set forth the process for stakeholders in the handling of such matters.
The updated Disciplinary Procedures are available on the IBCLC Commission website in all IBLCE languages.
| | Reminder: Scaled Scoring for the IBCLC Examination | | |
This transition was first announced in the February 2025 Briefing and serves to provide greater clarity regarding examination scores among examination administrations over time, by presenting results in a clearer, standardised numerical format used with many leading professional certification programmes.
Please see this post and scaled scoring FAQs on the IBCLC Commission website for more information.
| | Enhancing Your Customer Experience: Video Guides | | |
We strive to enhance the customer experience and to this end are excited to announce video guides for the IBCLC application process for certification and recertification are now available in all ten online credential management system languages. English, German, and Spanish were previously available and have been refreshed to reflect the most recent visual updates to the online credential management system, and videos have now been added in the remaining system languages: Chinese Traditional, Danish, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, and Portuguese. These videos provide a complete visual walkthrough of the following processes:
- How to reset your account password
- How to apply for the examination via Pathway 1, 2, or 3
- How to apply to recertify by examination
- How to apply to recertify by CERPs
Links to these videos can be found on your language page on the IBCLC Commission website, in the “Application Information” tab.
| | Practice Analysis Survey Update | | |
Congratulations to IBCLC Anna M. from Idaho, USA who was randomly selected as the winner of the Practice Analysis Survey incentive.
Thank you again to those who completed the survey. The results are being reviewed by the subject matter experts (SMEs) on the IBCLC Practice Analysis Task Force, in consultation with our psychometric consultants, which will result in an updated Detailed Content Outline (DCO), reflecting current lactation practice.
| | Monetary Investment for Lactation Consultant Certification (MILCC) | | Updates to the MILCC Website | | Did you notice? The MILCC® website received a refresh! Visit the MILCC website today to learn more about applying for scholarships, donations, and MILCC’s history while enjoying a fresh user experience, improved functionality, and easier access to the information you need most. | | Increasing MILCC's Visibility | | Candid, a leading source for nonprofit credibility, recently added MILCC to its database. This recognition reinforces MILCC’s commitment to accountability, impact, and visibility. MILCC is funded by your donations and other fundraising efforts. Thank you to all IBCLCs who have donated to elevate the profession! | | |
"Receiving a MILCC Scholarship was a turning point in my journey toward becoming an IBCLC. It removed financial barriers that could have delayed or even stopped my progress and allowed me to focus fully on my education and clinical development. Because of MILCC’s support, I was able to invest in high-quality training, gain confidence in my skills, and move forward with purpose. This scholarship didn’t just support my certification — it strengthened my ability to serve families with compassion, evidence-based care, and cultural sensitivity.
To the MILCC donors — thank you for believing in future IBCLCs and the families we serve. Your generosity creates real change by opening doors for professionals who are passionate about lactation care but may face financial obstacles. Every contribution reaches far beyond one person; it supports parents, babies, and communities. If you are considering giving to MILCC, know that your support truly empowers the next generation of lactation consultants and helps ensure that more families receive the care they deserve."
—Khrystyna Terletska, IBCLC, and MILCC Scholarship Recipient, United Kingdom
| | Follow MILCC for the latest updates: | | Global Centre for Lactation Training (GCLT) | | |
The Global Centre for Lactation Training (GCLT)® makes available a variety of educational products, services, and programming designed with a global perspective to meet a variety of professional goals and needs. Visit the Centre's website to learn more about our L-CERP, R-CERP, and E-CERP offerings, webinars, Your Fit Study Kit™, and the assessment-based Certificate in Lactation Facilitation™ pilot programme.
Are you interested in becoming a Subject Matter Expert for the Global Centre for Lactation Training (GCLT)? Email us at info@gclt.org.
| | New Webinar: Communicating Expertise with Care: Inclusive, Trust-Building Approaches in Lactation Practice | |
Trust is the foundation of effective lactation care. Beyond clinical expertise, parental perceptions of emotional support, safety, and collaboration shape how IBCLC support is received and whether breastfeeding is sustained. The Global Centre for Lactation Training’s (GCLT) newest webinar, Communicating Expertise with Care: Inclusive, Trust-Building Approaches in Lactation Practice, explores:
- communication strategies that foster trust and emotional safety,
- the use of inclusive and accessible language,
- how to recognise and repair eroded trust, and
- how to self-reflect and remain aware of bias
to promote equitable family-centred lactation care.
| | Educational and training offerings by the Global Centre for Lactation Training (GCLT) are optional and are not the sole way to pursue IBCLC (re)certification. | | This Briefing is being translated and will be disseminated in all IBLCE languages in the immediate future. | May 21, 2026, is the 45th anniversary of the adoption of the WHO International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes! | | Follow IBLCE on Social Media | | | | |
