Many people are familiar with breastfeeding counselors who provide education, support and encouragement to mothers who are planning to breastfeed their babies. Breastfeeding counselors often have personal experience to draw upon and have taken a training course of some kind. They may hold support group meetings such as La Leche League or Nursing Mothers.
Most breastfeeding counselors volunteer their services.
The majority of mothers will find this to be the right type of support for them. Many breastfeeding counselors will refer some of the more challenging breastfeeding situations to a lactation consultant. This board was established to assist in the protection of the health, safety and welfare of the public and to establish and enforce certification qualifications. This board held its first certifying examination in 1985. Now that the American Academy of Pediatrics has released the guideline that ideally all children should be breastfed for at least the first year of life, the need for expertise in this field is growing.