I am interested in becoming an LC in private practice, but need to be very
careful before starting my education as this would be a complete career
change for me (from software development), and I am the primary (and often
the sole) income for a family with very tight finances.  I've been lurking
on LACTNET to see if this would be an acceptable place to ask some very
basic questions.  I think it is, although I don't think there is anyone here
as close to the beginning of the journey as I am (if I decide to do this).

My first question is, what does the journey to becoming an IBCLC look like
for someone who isn't in the field of health care already?  I have, of
course, looked at the IBCLE website to see what the pathways are, but I find
that most of my questions aren't answered.  The pathway that most appeals to
me is #2, as I learn very efficiently in classroom settings, but I haven't
been able to find a program that will work near where I live (20 miles north
of Seattle, WA, USA and happy to commute for an education).  I've also
looked for distance education Internet courses, but haven't found any.  Am I
correct in understanding that there are very few programs in lactation
education that meet the requirements for Pathway 2, and that for most women
who are not in health or medicine now the only option is really pathway #3?

My next question is, are there any intermediary steps I can take to start
earning an income in the field of lactation support to pay for the rest of
my education?  I realize that an education for a profession does not come
without a cost, and I realize that lots of experience working with mothers
and babies is key to being a superior LC.  However, because my family
depends so heavily upon my income, I really need to consider if I can afford
to invest the unpaid time and the expenses needed to become an LC.  I am
currently on a contract and will be receiving unemployment when that
contract ends next March, and probably won't find a new job in a hurry due
to the economy.  That will give me some room to get started without going
broke.  However, if I am going to do this instead of focusing on my current
career, I need to know how soon I can make some money to supplement or
replace unemployment insurance.

If my hope of being able to start earning an income before I'm done with my
education isn't realistic - is it possible / reasonable to get the clinical
experience I will need while working full-time during normal working hours?
Would I be able to get those hours of experience during the evening or on
weekends?

I've heard lots of sources say that you will often need to pay someone to
supervise you while you get your clinical experience.  How much does this
usually cost?

Finally, is my image of private practice as an IBCLC realistic?  I imagine
myself earning $20,000 a year or more after expenses doing 30 hours of work
a week average, plus about 5 to 10 hours a week of continuing education or
volunteer work.  I imagine myself working out of my own home in the suburbs
(as opposed to having an office in the city), working primarily evenings and
weekends, with occasional daytime work by appointment, and making most house
calls evenings, nights (as in, "Call me at 3 AM!" - something I could have
used when breastfeeding was an middle-of-the-night LC) or weekends.  I would
try to do most of my job as house calls, although I would have an office for
visits in my home, since getting the children to cooperate with making the
house a pleasant atmosphere probably won't be easy and will require them
leaving the house with Dad for the duration.  I likely would follow up my
IBCLC with certification as a post-pardem doula and would try to specialize
in night support.

My motivations for becoming an LC are (a) to find a more meaningful and
fulfilling job while meeting my family's financial needs (b) to provide
mothers with the knowledgable lactation care I wish I'd had so they don't
have to spend hours hunting online and in books the way I did to find
adequate information and (c) to have a more flexible job so I can be more
involved with my own children and so my husband can afford to work
(childcare expenses virtually erase his income if he works the same hours as
me).

My breastfeeding experience so far is just nursing my twins to 2.5
years, and during those years I dealt with late lactogenesis (my milk came
in 6 days after a needed C-section) and 4 days of supplementation with an
SNS and finger-feeding, mild nipple-confusion, lactose overload, mild
thrush, mild repeat mastitis, overactive letdown, nursing strikes,
oversupply (the root cause of many of the previous issue, I've no doubt),
return to work at 8 months, pumping (I never got the hang of
hand-expression), and dealing with excess lipase (my milk soured so my
children wouldn't eat it if I went 30 minutes without scalding expressed
milk).

Any other advice you may have is also welcome.  Feel free to reply to me
off-list.  I really hope that this is not too off-topic, as I know that this
list is intended for people who are already lactation professionals - if it
is, I apologize in advance and will not post again unless I succeed in
becoming a lactation professional myself :-)

Thanks,
-Ethel
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