Certified Lactation Specialist Training Program

Curriculum Opens January 1, 2027 Introductory Price of $395 until December 1, 2026 (Full Price $495)

Core Competencies Covered
Module 1: Foundations of Lactation Support
Role and scope of the lactation specialist; lactation support professions and credentials; ethical practice; evidence informed care; counseling versus medical diagnosis/treatment; documentation; cultural humility; trauma informed support; confidentiality; interdisciplinary collaboration; referral to IBCLC and medical providers.
Module 2: Anatomy & Physiology of Lactation
Breast anatomy; mammary development; hormonal regulation; prolactin and oxytocin; lactogenesis I, II and III; autocrine control; feedback mechanisms; milk production and removal; milk composition; factors affecting milk production.
Module 3: Birth, Postpartum & Establishing Lactation
Impact of labor and birth; skin to skin; first feeding; rooming in; normal newborn transition; cesarean birth; anesthesia and medications; postpartum hemorrhage; delayed lactogenesis; maternal-infant separation; early expression; protecting milk production when direct feeding is disrupted.
Module 4: Normal Newborn Feeding
Feeding cues; newborn behavioral states; feeding frequency; cluster feeding; positioning; attachment/latch; suck swallow breathe coordination; milk transfer; signs of effective feeding; satiety; diaper output; normal stool transition; newborn weight patterns; feeding expectations by age.
Module 5: Assessment of a Feeding
Taking a lactation history; maternal assessment within scope; infant observation; positioning; latch assessment; swallowing and milk transfer; nipple appearance after feeding; output; weight trends; recognizing normal versus concerning findings; documentation; developing an appropriate support plan.
Module 6: Positioning, Latch & Practical Skills
Cross-cradle, cradle, football and side-lying positions; laid back/biological nurturing; positioning after cesarean; supporting large breasts; asymmetric latch; helping without physically forcing the infant onto the breast; hand expression; breast compression; reverse pressure softening.
Module 7: Milk Supply
Normal supply regulation; perceived versus actual low supply; risk factors for delayed/low production; oversupply; milk removal; feeding frequency; pumping; supplementation and supply protection; relactation concepts; galactagogues and limitations of evidence; identifying situations requiring medical or advanced lactation evaluation.
Module 8: Common Lactation Challenges
Engorgement; nipple pain and damage; plugged/ductal narrowing symptoms; inflammatory mastitis spectrum; candidiasis controversies; vasospasm; flat/inverted nipples; leaking; oversupply; forceful milk ejection; sleepy infants; breast refusal; nursing strikes; managing common problems within scope and recognizing red flags.
Module 9: Infant Factors Affecting Feeding
Late-preterm and early-term infants; jaundice; excessive weight loss; hypoglycemia considerations; low tone; respiratory difficulty; congenital differences; oral anatomy; tongue tie and tethered oral tissue controversies; suck dysfunction; reflux symptoms; recognizing when feeding difficulty requires pediatric, IBCLC, SLP/OT or other evaluation.
Module 10: Pumps, Expression & Human Milk Handling
Pump types; appropriate pump selection; flange fitting; pump settings; hand expression; establishing supply through pumping; pumping schedules; cleaning equipment; milk collection; storage and handling; thawing and warming; transporting milk; returning to work; creating realistic pumping plans.
Module 11: Supplementation & Alternative Feeding Methods
When supplementation may be medically indicated; expressed colostrum/milk, donor milk and formula; volumes; paced bottle feeding; cup, syringe and supplemental nursing systems; protecting milk production during supplementation; communicating with the infant's healthcare provider; supporting families without shaming feeding decisions.
Module 12: Special Circumstances
Multiples; premature infants; NICU separation; induced lactation and relactation; breastfeeding after breast surgery; previous low supply; pregnancy while breastfeeding; tandem nursing; weaning; infant loss; maternal illness; medically complex dyads and referral.
Module 13: Medications, Substances & Lactation
Principles of medication transfer into human milk; interpreting reputable lactation medication resources; common postpartum medications; contraception; alcohol; nicotine; cannabis and other exposures; herbs and supplements; avoiding unsupported safety claims; when medication questions require pharmacist/prescriber consultation.
Module 14: Counseling & Communication Skills
Active listening; motivational interviewing concepts; shared decision making; supporting parental goals rather than imposing feeding goals; informed supplementation discussions; grief around feeding experiences; trauma informed support; cultural considerations; avoiding coercive or absolutist breastfeeding messaging.
Module 15: Professional Practice, Scope & Referral
Documentation; SOAP style lactation notes; care plans; follow up; communication with pediatricians, midwives and physicians; HIPAA/confidentiality; professional liability; informed consent; advertising; private practice basics; identifying situations outside the CLS scope.
Module 16: Certification Preparation & Case Integration
Complex case studies requiring students to collect information, identify normal and abnormal findings, establish what is within their scope, provide appropriate education, develop a follow up plan and determine when/where referral is necessary.
Online Certification Requirements
Complete all modules, quizzes, assignments and case studies; demonstrate competency interpreting newborn intake/output and weight information; complete documentation assignments; pass a comprehensive written examination; and qualify for the in-person certification final.
10 Hour In Person Certification Final (May have the ability to do virtually if the student lives outside DFW)

Credential: Certified Lactation Specialist (CLS), DFW Community Birth School.
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