Tammy -  I am slowly building hours toward the IBCLC exam. I am taking the
BSN track one LC course which gives you a good education and 500 hours
towards the requirement (though I have this fear that all those hours down
the line someone will suddenly change the regulation!!). Being a LLL Leader
gives you 500 hours a year. I also volunteered to work 10 hours a week at a
local hospital - they were delighted as they have no funding for an LC.
Then someone there handed me a grant application form and we are applying
for funding for 20 hours a week so I might even get paid as I work my
hours! (the hospital only has a 15% BF rate so we can only go up...) I am a
COunselor with the Nursing MOthers COuncil which brings in calls and I
chart them all. I also do pump rentals. You can't count the hours you spend
putting pumps together for people, but the rentals generate lots of calls.
I might consider getting on other helplines too but my husband (who has a
heavy non US accent and apparently sounds highly suspicious to BF women
when they call) cannot bear the thought of many more breastfeeding calls!!
Good luck, Anne Merewood