Most IBCLCs are paid right up there with RN salaries. Some are paid 
more, it depends on if the employer values you, or what is expected job 
wise. Julie, let me caution you first. I know you are very excited and I 
wish you best of luck on the exam and with the new LC program. My 
caution is that you need to be careful with being on call 24/7 because 
they will use you up. You will have constant calls, weekends, late 
evenings, etc. I would suggest you set up some hours that you will be 
available and then be willing to call back on the other hours as you 
can. If you have small children, or even teenagers, you will probably 
find that this 24/7 schedule interferes with dinner, appointments with 
your children, school activities, etc.

I know -- this has often been my life and it makes me crazy and I am 
burned out. I hate those pages during church services or late in the 
evening as I am already in bed. I also hate those early morning ones at 
6 AM! Moms call at any time. Friday afternoons and evenings are worst. 
My pager takes messages and phone numbers and I put it on silent after 4 
PM until 8 AM. It takes the message but doesn't beep. If you do start 
with 24/7 it will be very hard to stop and go to a more normal schedule 
-- you will be seen as the bad guy when they are burning you out. If 
nurses or moms can call at any time, believe me they will! They will not 
care if it is late at night or early early morning or Sunday before noon.

I would also suggest you start small and maybe offer your boss a deal, 
set up some objectives and if you meet them in 6 months you get a raise. 
Get it in writing. No amount of money is worth being on call 24/7 unless 
you have no family or social life or ever want down time. (I work on 
call for WIC and I have learned to set hours and silence my pager 
otherwise the demands are relentless. I have also learned to schedule 
people the next day so that I am not running here and there all day long 
responding to "emergencies.")

Kathy Eng, BSW, IBCLC

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