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Course

Foundations of Lactation Education

RMED-X400.40

Become a Lactation Education Counselor with this comprehensive, flexible, online 45-hour course. Perfect for healthcare professionals or anyone interested in supporting breastfeeding families. 

What you'll learn

  • Breastfeeding basics: anatomy, physiology, latch, positioning 

  • Strategies to assist and encourage breastfeeding triad of mother, baby, and support person 

  • Early infant attachment and hospital care 

  • Postpartum support, common challenges and solutions 

  • Breast pumps and breastfeeding tools 

How It Works: 

  • Fully online, no set login times, self-paced with assignments/quizzes due weekly 

  • Weekly modules: 4–5 hours of video + 2–3 hours of readings/assignments 

  • Work ahead at your own pace 

  • Optional monthly live online office hours with your instructor 

  • Receive an Award of Completion and qualify to work as an Lactation Education Counselor 

  • Fulfills the Lactation Consultant Pathway 2 prerequisite

If you intend to take the Certified Lactation Counselor exam through the Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice, this course does not meet the 95 hours of education requirement.  Please see the Lactation Education Counselor Program.

Canvas, our online learning platform, is not compatible with smart phones or tablet devices. We recommend students plan to use a laptop or desktop for our courses.

Program Dates 

Offered every quarter.

  • 2026 Winter Quarter - January 5 - March 22, 2026 (section ID 194954)
  • 2026 Spring Quarter - March 23 - June 12, 2026 (section ID 195708)
  • 2026 Summer Quarter - June 22 - September 12, 2026 (section ID 197988)
  • 2026 Fall Quarter - September 21 - December 12, 2026 (section ID EL00002378)

Course Information

Online
4.50 units
$745.00

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This course applies to these programs

Lactation Consultant: Pathway 2

Course sessions

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Section ID:

197988

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Core Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Lactation Care 2nd
by Spencer, Campbell, Chamberlain
ISBN / ASIN: 9781284255515

You may purchase textbooks via the UC San Diego Bookstore.

Policies:

  • No refunds after: 7/3/2026

Note:

UC San Diego Extended Studies is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development (CE hours) by the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN), provider number 0058 (no partial credit is awarded).

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
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Instructor:

Margaret Saltysiak, MPH, BS, IBCLC
Margaret Saltysiak, MPH, BS, IBCLC
Margaret has been working in the Maternal Child Health field for nearly 15 years.  She independently founded a La Leche League group in her area where there was previously no support. She grew and led the group for three years before handing it off to new leaders. She holds a BS in Maternal Child Health, has an MPH, and is working towards completion of an MBA. She has been an IBCLC since 2010. She worked for nine years in a busy OB unit as an IBCLC, was a part of a non-profit human milk bank, and is currently working for the Chicago Department of Public Health. Margaret is passionate about maternal child health and health equity, particularly around breastfeeding. She breastfed each of her five children, two of which were NICU babies.
 
Pronouns: she/her
 
Full Bio
add to cart

Section ID:

EL00002378

Class type:

Online Asynchronous.

This course is entirely web-based and to be completed asynchronously between the published course start and end dates. Synchronous attendance is NOT required.
You will have access to your online course on the published start date OR 1 business day after your enrollment is confirmed if you enroll on or after the published start date.

Textbooks:

Textbook 1.) Core Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Lactation Care,Core Curriculum for Interdisciplinary Lactation Care, 2nd Ed., Author: Spencer, Campbell, Chamberlain, ISBN: 9781284255515

Policies:

Withdrawal End Date:

10/03/2026

Schedule:

No information available at this time.
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Instructors:

Ruth Hammer, RN, MSN, IBCLC, PMH-C
Ruth Hammer, RN, MSN, IBCLC, PMH-C

Ruth specializes in maternal and child health and her passion is for parents and babies! She loves to teach and educate parents, families, staff and students on the importance of breastfeeding, lactation, and psychological health for parents in their breastfeeding journeys and reaching their goals.  

 

Ruth has been a Registered Nurse (RN) for almost 30 years and received Masters in Nursing (MSN) in 2019.  She has been an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) for almost 20 years and is active in the local breastfeeding coalition as a board member, and currently representing lactation in a California state nutrition collaborative expert panel specific to supporting NICU babies growth.  She also has international experience working in private lactation while living abroad in Israel for 1 ½ years. 

 

Ruth's experience before becoming a lactation consultant was as a postpartum nurse. Her lactation consultant experience began in couplet care and her current specialization includes working with sick, fragile, cardiac and premature infants.  Ruth works full time job is in lactation at UC San Diego Health (UCSD) in the NICU after many years working at a children’s hospital.

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Full Bio
Kristina Chamberlain, CNM, ARNP, IBCLC
Kristina Chamberlain, CNM, ARNP, IBCLC
Kristina Chamberlain is a graduate of the University of Washington and has been working with breastfeeding families for over 15 years. As a Certified Nurse-Midwife and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, she found postpartum and breastfeeding support to be lacking, so she focused her work on providing the best lactation and breastfeeding care to her patients. Her clinical experience includes working inpatient and outpatient in hospitals, private practice, and home visits. She also loves teaching future IBCLCs and has taught in person and online courses at the graduate level, as well as presented at various professional conferences. She believes we need more lactation consultants because every breastfeeding family deserves one! In her spare time, she is attending her kids’ sports events and learning how to become a beekeeper.  
 
Full Bio