My Journey to Becoming an IBCLC

Part 2: Getting Burned Out & Some Hard Lessons

In today’s post, I will talk about what happened on my journey during the years following getting my IBCLC certification including getting taken advantage of, getting burned out, and leaving the field for a while before being called to open my private practice.

In November of 2014, there I was: a brand new IBCLC (International Board Certified Lactation Consultant) and not a single job posting as far as the eye could see.

So I continued working in the NICU (Neonatal Intensive Care Unit) as a RN (Registered Nurse). I distinctly remember doing the best I could to provide lactation support for my patients and their mothers by assisting with pumping, advocating for skin-to-skin even if their baby was on a ventilator, and even setting up tube devices at the breast so that the mother’s could latch their babies and the baby would get supplemental feeding at the same time.

However, working night shift was wearing on my mind and my body. I also failed to imagine when I started working in the NICU as a brand new graduate nurse that I would at times have to run codes on babies and provide them with end of life care. Lastly, I was in a horribly emotionally abusive relationship at the time. Therefore, I fell into a deep depression and my therapist was strongly recommending I find a day shift position. To my dismay, there were still no IBCLC jobs to be found, so I moved into a position as an RN on the Labor & Delivery floor.