The 95 education hours: 90 lactation, 5 communication
Every pathway needs 90 hours of lactation specific education, of which at least 2 hours must be on the WHO Code, plus 5 further hours on communication skills: 95 hours in total, all completed in the 5 years immediately before you apply. The WHO Code hours sit inside the 90, not on top. The communication hours sit on top of the 90, and they do not have to be about lactation, though the certifying body prefers that they are.
Log your education hours in five steps
One entry per certificate, in a notebook, a spreadsheet or the hours log on this site, which splits the hours for you.
- Enter the date on the certificate. Education counts inside the same five year window as clinical hours, measured back from your application date.
- Enter the hours as certified. One education hour is 60 minutes. Use the hours printed on the certificate, not the length of the day.
- Pick the topic. Lactation specific, WHO Code or communication skills. If one course covered two topics, log each part as its own entry with its own hours.
- Note the provider and title. An audit asks for certificates or a transcript, so note where each certificate is kept.
- Check the three numbers. The progress page shows the 90, the 2 WHO Code hours inside them, and the 5 communication hours on top.
How the hours split
| Bucket | Hours | What goes in it |
|---|---|---|
| Lactation specific | 90 | Human lactation and breastfeeding care, across the exam's content outline. |
| WHO Code | 2, inside the 90 | The International Code of Marketing of Breast-milk Substitutes and later resolutions. |
| Communication skills | 5, on top | Counselling and communication skills, preferably about lactation care. |
The WHO Code requirement applies from the April 2025 exam onward, according to the certifying body's education page. The page also says the body does not offer, approve or accredit courses, and that education from providers with its continuing education recognition is accepted but not required. Formats can be in person, online, distance learning or independent study.
The health science subjects are separate
The 14 health science subjects are a different requirement from the 95 hours. Eight must come from an institution of higher learning (such as biology, human anatomy and nutrition) and six may also come from continuing education (such as basic life support and medical terminology). If you were educated in one of the Recognised Health Professions, such as nursing, midwifery or dietetics, all 14 are covered. The log has a checklist for them.
Worked example: 96 hours and still short
A candidate logs two 45 hour online lactation courses, a 6 hour conference and a 3 hour counselling workshop. Counted by this site's engine as of 27 September 2026, that is 96 lactation hours, which clears the 90, but 0 WHO Code hours against 2 and 3 communication hours against 5.
Unless one of the long courses had a WHO Code module with its own certified hours, this candidate still needs a WHO Code course and two more hours of communication skills. A single running total would have hidden both gaps.
Common mistakes
- Counting communication hours toward the 90 as well as toward the 5.
- Adding the WHO Code hours on top of the 90 instead of inside them.
- Logging a whole course as lactation hours when part of it was the WHO Code, so the WHO Code hours never show.
- Using certificates older than five years before the application date.
- Confusing the 14 health science subjects with the education hours.
Log your own hours
The log keeps each clinical session and each course with its date, and the progress page totals them by pathway inside the five year window, with the education split and the hours about to age out. Everything stays in this browser.
Frequently asked questions
Do my courses have to be from a recognised provider?
No. The education page says courses from providers with the certifying body's continuing education recognition are accepted but not required, and that the body does not approve or accredit courses itself.
Can extra WHO Code hours count toward the 90?
Yes. WHO Code education is lactation specific, so every WHO Code hour counts toward the 90 as well as toward the 2.
Is an education hour 50 or 60 minutes?
60 minutes, according to the education page.
Sources
Last reviewed 27 September 2026 against:
- Lactation Specific Education, IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, WHO Code hours required from the April 2025 exam onward, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The 90, 2 and 5 hours, the window, providers and formats, and the 60 minute hour.
- Candidate Information Guide, IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), updated March 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The education requirements on every pathway and the audit evidence.
- Health Sciences Summary, IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The 14 subjects and the Recognised Health Professions.
This guide is our own summary of the published documents, not legal advice and not a finding about your eligibility; the credentialing authority decides. If it disagrees with the current documents, the documents win. Lactation Ledger is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or connected to the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE), the IBCLC Commission, the Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education (CBDCE) or any other certifying body. IBCLC and CDCES are certification marks of their owners.