# Lactation Ledger, full text > Log lactation clinical hours and education hours on your phone, see totals by pathway inside the five year window, and print an hours summary. Private, in your browser. 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. Lactation Ledger does not determine eligibility. The certifying body decides eligibility. Everything below is our own summary of the certifying bodies' published guides; the documents win if they differ. Site: https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/ # The requirement numbers, as checked Last reviewed 27 September 2026. | Requirement | Published number | Source | | --- | --- | --- | | Pathway 1 clinical hours | 1,000 hours in the 5 years before applying | Candidate Information Guide, Section IV.A, Pathway 1, items 3 to 8 | | Pathway 2 clinical hours | 300 hours in the 5 years before applying, directly supervised | Candidate Information Guide, Section IV.B, Pathway 2, item 3 | | Pathway 3 clinical hours | 500 hours in the 5 years before applying, directly supervised | Candidate Information Guide, Section IV.C, Pathway 3, item 3 | | Lactation specific education | 90 hours in 5 years, including 2 on the WHO Code | Lactation Specific Education, Lactation specific education, WHO Code and communication skills | | Communication skills education | 5 hours on top, in 5 years | Lactation Specific Education, Lactation specific education, WHO Code and communication skills | | Health science subjects | 14 subjects, or a Recognised Health Profession | Health Sciences Summary, The 14 subjects and the Recognised Health Professions | | Recertification practice | 250 hours in the 5 year cycle | Recertification FAQs, Practice hours in the five year cycle | | Recertification credits | 75 credits: at least 50 lactation and 5 ethics (including 2 WHO Code), plus basic life support | Recertification Guide, Recertification by CERPs, the minimum requirements list | | Diabetes care and education hours | 1,000 hours in 5 years, at least 200 in the most recent 12 months, at most 40 a week | CDCES Eligibility Requirements, Professional practice experience and continuing education | | Diabetes continuing education | 15 hours in the 2 years before applying | CDCES Eligibility Requirements, Professional practice experience and continuing education | ## Settings for Pathway 1 clinical hours - Hospital: counts - Birth centre: counts - Community clinic: counts - Lactation care clinic or practice: counts - Primary care office: counts - Independent practice as a licensed professional: counts - Recognised breastfeeding support counsellor organisation: counts - Other setting: Not one of the settings the Candidate Information Guide lists. Kept, but not counted until you confirm the setting with the certifying body. ## Activities - In person consultation: counts toward the exam Counts toward recertification practice. - Telephone consultation: counts toward the exam Counts toward recertification practice. - Online consultation: counts toward the exam Counts toward recertification practice. - Lactation education for families: counts toward the exam Counts toward recertification practice. - Lactation education for professionals: counts toward the exam Counts toward recertification practice. - Administration or supervision: Administration counts toward recertification practice hours, not toward the initial clinical hours. Counts toward recertification practice. - Advocacy: Advocacy counts toward recertification practice hours, not toward the initial clinical hours. Counts toward recertification practice. - Research: Research counts toward recertification practice hours, not toward the initial clinical hours. Counts toward recertification practice. - Shadowing or observation: Observation or shadowing does not count as lactation specific clinical hours. ## The 14 health science subjects - Biology - Human anatomy - Human physiology - Infant and child growth and development - Introduction to clinical research - Nutrition - Psychology, counselling skills or communication skills - Sociology, cultural sensitivity or cultural anthropology - Basic life support - Medical documentation - Medical terminology - Occupational safety and security for health professionals - Professional ethics for health professionals - Universal safety precautions and infection control Covered in full by a Recognised Health Profession: Dentist, Dietitian, Midwife, Nurse, Occupational therapist, Pharmacist, Physical therapist or physiotherapist, Physician or medical doctor, Speech pathologist or therapist. ## Diabetes care and education activities - Assessment: counts - Individual education and support: counts - Group education and support: counts - Care planning and intervention: counts - Follow up, monitoring and documentation: counts - Programme or service development: counts - Teaching other health professionals: The eligibility page lists this among activities that do not count as diabetes care and education hours. - Administrative duties: The eligibility page lists this among activities that do not count as diabetes care and education hours. - Health fair screening: The eligibility page lists this among activities that do not count as diabetes care and education hours. ## How this site counts - The five year window is the five years that end on your count date: an hour dated exactly five years before the count date is outside it, and the next day is inside. - Minutes are added up first and shown as hours to two decimal places. - For Pathways 2 and 3 an entry counts only when it is marked directly supervised and names the supervisor or mentor. - An entry in a setting marked Other is kept but not counted until you change the setting. - WHO Code hours count toward both the 90 lactation hours and the 2 WHO Code hours; communication hours count only toward the 5. - For recertification credits, WHO Code courses are counted as ethics credits and communication courses as related credits, the stricter reading; the certifying body may accept a lactation credit for a lactation focused communication course. - Pace is the hours you counted in the last 12 weeks, carried forward week by week while older hours leave the window. - Hours above 40 in one week (Monday to Sunday) are kept but not counted, because the eligibility page caps weekly hours at 40. - The most recent year is the 12 months that end on your count date, measured the same way as the five year window. - The two years of practice in your discipline and your licence are not tracked here; the progress page reminds you of them. ## Sources read - [Candidate Information Guide](https://ibclc-commission.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026_March-31_Candidate-Information-Guide_FINAL.pdf), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), updated March 2026. - [Lactation Specific Clinical Experience](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown. - [Pathway 1: Recognised Health Professionals and Recognised Breastfeeding Support Counsellors](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/pathway-1/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown. - [Pathway 2: Accredited Lactation Academic Programmes](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/pathway-2-accredited-academic-programs/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown. - [Pathway 3: Mentorship with an IBCLC](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/pathway-3-mentorship/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown. - [Lactation Specific Education](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-education/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, WHO Code hours required from the April 2025 exam onward. - [Health Sciences Summary](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/health-sciences-education-2/health-sciences-summary/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown. - [Recertification Guide](https://ibclc-commission.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025_March-24_Recertification-Guide_Final.pdf), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), 24 March 2025. - [Recertification FAQs](https://ibclc-commission.org/faqs-for-recertification/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown. - [Update to Previously Announced IBCLC Programme Change to Clinical Hours Calculation for Recognised Breastfeeding Support Counsellors](https://iblce.org/2019/08/02/update-to-previously-announced-ibclc-programme-change-to-clinical-hours-calculation-for-recognised-breastfeeding-support-counsellors/), IBLCE (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), announcement dated 2 August 2019. - [CDCES Eligibility Requirements](https://www.cbdce.org/cdces/eligibility-requirements), Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education, web page, no revision date shown. - [CDCES Renewal](https://www.cbdce.org/cdces/renewal), Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education, web page with 2026 renewal deadlines. # Lactation clinical hours by pathway: 1,000, 300 or 500 URL: https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/guide/pathways-and-hours/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 To sit the IBCLC exam you need lactation specific clinical hours earned within the 5 years immediately before you apply: at least 1,000 hours on Pathway 1, which is for recognised health professionals and recognised breastfeeding support counsellors; at least 300 directly supervised hours on Pathway 2, inside an accredited lactation academic programme; or at least 500 directly supervised hours on Pathway 3, a mentorship with certified consultants under a plan verified before any hours start. Every pathway also needs 90 hours of lactation education, 5 hours of communication education and the health science subjects. ## Log your hours toward a pathway in six steps These steps work with a paper notebook, a spreadsheet or [the hours log on this site](https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/log/), which totals each pathway for you. 1. **Pick the pathway you are really on.** Pathway 1 if you practise as a recognised health professional or counsel through a recognised support organisation, Pathway 2 if you are in an accredited academic programme, Pathway 3 only once your mentorship plan is verified. 2. **Log each session on the day.** The date, the time you actually spent giving lactation care, the setting, and what you did. Do not round up and do not reconstruct months later. 3. **Name the supervisor on Pathways 2 and 3.** Those hours must be directly supervised by certified consultants in good standing, so note who supervised each session and mark it directly supervised. 4. **Keep observation separate.** Watching someone else give care is shadowing, and shadowing does not count. Log it if you like, but expect it to be left out. 5. **Watch the five year window.** Hours older than five years before your application date drop out. Check which hours are about to age out before you pick an application date. 6. **Keep the evidence.** Applications are audited at random. Keep your log, your supervisors' details and your course certificates where you can find them. ## The three pathways side by side Table: Clinical hours by pathway, as read on the review date | Pathway | Who it is for | Clinical hours | Supervision | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Pathway 1 | Recognised health professionals and recognised breastfeeding support counsellors | 1,000 in 5 years | In an appropriate supervised setting; the hours do not need to be directly supervised. | | Pathway 2 | Graduates of an accredited lactation academic programme | 300 in 5 years | Directly supervised by currently certified consultants in good standing. | | Pathway 3 | Candidates in a mentorship plan verified before any hours are earned | 500 in 5 years | Directly supervised by currently certified consultant mentors, under a plan verified before the hours begin. | The numbers differ because the supervision differs. The Candidate Information Guide explains that Pathway 1 practitioners usually work where direct supervision is not typical, so they need more hours, while Pathways 2 and 3 are structured and directly supervised by certified consultants. Pathway 1 hours still have to be earned in an appropriate supervised setting: a hospital, a birth centre, a community clinic, a lactation clinic or practice, or a primary care office, or independent practice as a licensed or registered health professional. ## What every pathway shares - 90 hours of lactation specific education, 2 of them on the WHO Code, in the 5 years before you apply. See [the education hours guide](https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/guide/education-hours/). - 5 further hours on communication skills in the same window. - The 14 health science subjects, which a Recognised Health Profession covers in one go. - An attestation that you will follow the code of professional conduct. Pathway 3 has one extra rule that catches people out: the plan must be verified, with a fee, before you earn any hours toward it. Hours from before the plan was verified do not become Pathway 3 hours later. ## Worked example: a hospital nurse on Pathway 1 A nurse logs a four hour block of lactation consultations in hospital every Monday from January 2023, 195 Mondays in all, plus some shadowing in her first months and a few sessions at a site she marked as another setting. Counted by this site's engine as of 27 September 2026, she has 851.5 hours logged inside the window and 780 counted toward Pathway 1. Needs 220 more hours inside the five year window. At your pace of 4 hours a week over the last 12 weeks, the logged hours would reach this number around 17 October 2027. The 71.5 hours left out are the shadowing and the unlisted setting. The same log counts 0 hours toward Pathway 2 and 0 toward Pathway 3, because none of it was marked directly supervised. The pathway you are on changes what counts, not just the target. ## Common mistakes - Counting hours toward Pathway 3 that were earned before the plan was verified. - Logging supervised hours on Pathway 2 or 3 without noting who supervised them. - Counting observation or shadowing as clinical practice. - Assuming hours never expire. Anything older than five years before you apply drops out. - Guessing a percentage of a whole job instead of logging the time actually spent on lactation care. ## Frequently asked questions **Do Pathway 1 hours need a supervisor?** Not a direct supervisor. The hours must be earned in an appropriate supervised setting, but the Candidate Information Guide says Pathway 1 hours do not need to be directly supervised. **Can I switch pathway halfway?** Your hours are yours whichever pathway you apply under, but they count differently: hours that were not directly supervised count toward Pathway 1 only. The progress page on this site shows all three totals side by side. **Does this site tell me which pathway I qualify for?** No. It totals the hours you log against each pathway's published number. Lactation Ledger does not determine eligibility. The certifying body decides eligibility. ## Sources - [Candidate Information Guide](https://ibclc-commission.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026_March-31_Candidate-Information-Guide_FINAL.pdf), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), updated March 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The three pathways, their hours, settings and supervision, and the audit checklist. - [Pathway 1: Recognised Health Professionals and Recognised Breastfeeding Support Counsellors](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/pathway-1/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Pathway 1 settings and supervision. - [Pathway 3: Mentorship with an IBCLC](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/pathway-3-mentorship/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Pathway 3 plans verified before hours are earned. # What counts as lactation specific clinical practice URL: https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/guide/what-counts-as-lactation-specific-clinical-practice/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 Lactation specific clinical practice is time you spend actually giving care that supports breastfeeding families: helping pregnant and breastfeeding parents with lactation, and teaching families or professionals about lactation. It can be in person, by telephone or online. Watching someone else do it does not count: the Candidate Information Guide says observation or shadowing of lactation practitioners is not clinical hours. Count the time you spent on lactation care, not the length of your shift. ## What counts The guide describes clinical experience as maternal and child care that supports breastfeeding families, including lactation assistance to pregnant and breastfeeding women and lactation education to families or professionals, and it says the care must be real practice rather than observation. In this log that becomes five kinds of activity that count toward the exam totals: - In person consultation. - Telephone consultation. - Online consultation. - Lactation education for families. - Lactation education for professionals. For Pathway 1 the setting matters too. The guide lists a hospital, a birth centre, a community clinic, a lactation care clinic or practice and a primary care office, and it adds independent practice as a licensed or registered health professional and counselling through a recognised breastfeeding support counsellor organisation. The log offers exactly these: hospital, birth centre, community clinic, lactation care clinic or practice, primary care office, independent practice as a licensed professional, recognised breastfeeding support counsellor organisation. Anything else can be logged as another setting, and it is kept but not counted until you confirm it. ## What does not count toward the exam - Shadowing or observing another practitioner, however long. - Time on shift that was not spent on lactation care, such as general postnatal checks with no feeding support. - Running or supervising a service, advocacy and research. These do count later, toward the 250 practice hours for recertification. - Hours on Pathway 2 or 3 that were not directly supervised by a certified consultant. - Anything more than five years before your application date. Since 1 January 2022 hours are earned hour for hour. The Pathway 1 page counts recognised counsellor hours hour for hour, and the certifying body announced in August 2019 that the old flat rate, which credited volunteer counsellors with a fixed number of hours a year, would not be accepted for hours earned from 1 January 2022. ## Telephone and online care Telephone and online lactation care count the same as in person care when the setting allows it. The Candidate Information Guide's interim guidance on technology, which the certifying body has extended, says Pathway 1 hours can be earned through telehealth where the supervised setting uses it, and that Pathway 2 students may earn their supervised hours through technology platforms. ## Worked example: one week of mixed work Table: A week of entries, counted for Pathway 1 by this site's engine | Day | Logged | Result | | --- | --- | --- | | 14 September | 2.5 h, in person consultation, hospital | Counts | | 15 September | 1 h, telephone consultation, lactation care clinic or practice | Counts | | 16 September | 3 h, shadowing or observation, hospital | Not counted | | 17 September | 1.5 h, lactation education for families, community clinic | Counts | | 18 September | 2 h, administration or supervision, hospital | Not counted | | 19 September | 1 h, in person consultation, other setting | Not counted | 11 hours logged, 5 counted. The shadowing is out because it is observation, the administration is out because it is recertification practice rather than clinical care, and the session at an unlisted site waits until the setting is confirmed. You can check any week of your own the same way in [the hours log](https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/log/). ## Common mistakes - Logging a whole twelve hour shift when two hours of it were lactation care. - Counting shadowing or observation as clinical practice. - Writing a patient's or a family's name in the log. Record the kind of care, never who received it. - Counting administration or research toward the exam instead of toward recertification. - Assuming volunteer counselling still earns a flat yearly rate. Since 2022 it is hour for hour. ## Frequently asked questions **Do volunteer hours count?** Yes, if they are real lactation care in an appropriate setting. Volunteer breastfeeding counsellors on Pathway 1 count their hours through a recognised support counsellor organisation, hour for hour since 2022. **Does teaching a breastfeeding class count?** Yes. The Candidate Information Guide includes lactation education to families and professionals in its description of clinical experience. **Should I put patient initials in my log?** There is no need. Hours are counted by date, time, setting and activity. Keeping patient details out of your log protects the families you work with and keeps the log free of health information. ## Sources - [Candidate Information Guide](https://ibclc-commission.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026_March-31_Candidate-Information-Guide_FINAL.pdf), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), updated March 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The description of clinical experience, the settings list, shadowing, and the interim guidance on technology. - [Lactation Specific Clinical Experience](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown, read 27 September 2026. Used for: In person, telephone and online care; observation does not count. - [Pathway 1: Recognised Health Professionals and Recognised Breastfeeding Support Counsellors](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/lactation-specific-clinical-experience/pathway-1/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown, read 27 September 2026. Used for: Pathway 1 settings, and recognised counsellor hours counted hour for hour. - [Update to Previously Announced IBCLC Programme Change to Clinical Hours Calculation for Recognised Breastfeeding Support Counsellors](https://iblce.org/2019/08/02/update-to-previously-announced-ibclc-programme-change-to-clinical-hours-calculation-for-recognised-breastfeeding-support-counsellors/), IBLCE (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), announcement dated 2 August 2019, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The end of the flat rate for counsellor hours earned from 1 January 2022. # The 95 education hours: 90 lactation, 5 communication URL: https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/guide/education-hours/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 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](https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/log/), which splits the hours for you. 1. **Enter the date on the certificate.** Education counts inside the same five year window as clinical hours, measured back from your application date. 2. **Enter the hours as certified.** One education hour is 60 minutes. Use the hours printed on the certificate, not the length of the day. 3. **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. 4. **Note the provider and title.** An audit asks for certificates or a transcript, so note where each certificate is kept. 5. **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 Table: The education numbers, as read on the review date | 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. ## 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 - [Lactation Specific Education](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/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](https://ibclc-commission.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026_March-31_Candidate-Information-Guide_FINAL.pdf), 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](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/health-sciences-education-2/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. # The five year window for lactation clinical hours URL: https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/guide/five-year-window/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 Your clinical hours and your education hours count only if they were earned within the 5 years immediately before the date you apply for the exam. The window moves with your application date: every day you wait, the oldest day of hours drops out. So a log that reaches 1,000 hours today can fall short a few months later if a busy early year ages out, and the date you choose to apply matters as much as the hours you have. ## How the window moves The Candidate Information Guide states the window the same way for every pathway and for the education: within the five years immediately prior to examination application. It is measured back from the day you apply, not from the exam date and not from a calendar year. This site uses one clear convention and says so on the progress page: the window is the 5 years that end on your count date. An hour dated exactly 5 years before the count date is outside it, and one dated a day later is inside. A 29 February entry stays inside until 1 March five years on. If you are close to a number, leave yourself a margin rather than relying on a single day. ## Planning an application date - Enter your planned application date as the count date on [the progress page](https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/progress/). Every total is recalculated for that day. - Read the line on hours leaving the window in the next 90 days. If it is large, apply sooner or plan to replace those hours. - Check the pace line: it carries your last 12 weeks forward while old hours drop out, and gives the date the numbers would be reached. - Check education too. A big course from five years ago can leave the window before your clinical hours do. Exam applications have deadlines ahead of each exam window, published by the certifying body. Your application date is the day the window is measured from, so count on that date, not on the exam date. If an audit asks for your hours, the certifying body wants the number of hours, the timeframe and the settings, so keep the dates with the hours rather than a single running total. ## Worked example: a busy first year ages out A candidate logged 11 hours a week for a year from October 2021, then took a break and restarted at 5 hours a week in January 2025. Counted by this site's engine, the Pathway 1 total is 1,022 hours as of 27 September 2026, at or above the 1,000. 132 counted hours leave the window in the next 90 days, the first on 4 October 2026. Counted as of 1 March 2027 instead, the same log holds only 780 hours, below the number. Nothing was deleted: the early hours simply fell out of the window. For this candidate the application date is the decision that matters. ## Common mistakes - Counting from the exam date instead of the application date. - Treating the window as calendar years, such as 2022 to 2026. - Forgetting that education hours age out on the same five year clock. - Deleting old entries. Keep them: they drop out of the totals on their own, and they may matter for an audit. ## Frequently asked questions **Do hours older than five years ever count again?** No. Once they are more than five years before your application date they are outside the window for that application. They stay in your log as a record. **Is the window the same for education and clinical hours?** Yes. The Candidate Information Guide uses the same five years immediately before application for the 90 lactation hours, the 5 communication hours and the clinical hours. **Does the recertification cycle use the same window?** No. Recertification counts from the start of your current five year cycle, which runs on from your certification date, not back from an application date. The recertification counter on the progress page does that separately and counts only the current cycle. ## Sources - [Candidate Information Guide](https://ibclc-commission.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/2026_March-31_Candidate-Information-Guide_FINAL.pdf), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), updated March 2026, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The five years immediately prior to examination application, for every pathway and for education. - [Lactation Specific Education](https://ibclc-commission.org/step-1-prepare-for-ibclc-certification/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 same window for education hours. # Recertification: 250 practice hours and 75 credits URL: https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/guide/recertification-hours/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 IBCLC certificants recertify every 5 years. Every route needs 250 hours of practice in lactation consulting during the cycle, WHO Code education and basic life support education. Recertifying by credits instead of the exam also needs 75 continuing education credits: at least 50 lactation credits and at least 5 ethics credits, the 2 WHO Code hours counted inside those 5, and a continuing education self assessment first. Applications to recertify by credits are due by 30 September of the year the certification expires. ## The practice hours are broader than the exam hours The 250 hours can be paid or volunteer, and the recertification pages accept more kinds of work than the exam does: clinical practice in person, by telephone or online, education, administration, research and advocacy, and the recertification guide says the hours may be completed remotely. The count runs from the start of your current cycle through your recertification application; hours from an earlier cycle do not carry over. Shadowing still does not count. ## How the credits split Table: Credit minimums for recertifying by credits, as read on the review date | Credit | Minimum | Notes | | --- | --- | --- | | Lactation (L) | 50 | Education specifically about human lactation and breastfeeding care. | | Ethics (E) | 5 | Includes the 2 hours of WHO Code education. | | Related (R) | None | Optional; basic life support counts here, 3 per course whatever its length and at most 6 in a cycle. | | Total | 75 | Any mix above the minimums. | The self assessment gives you a personal plan with areas to focus on, and the recertification guide asks for a minimum number of credits in each area it names. Those area minimums depend on your own results, so this site does not model them; add them to your notes when you have your plan. ## Records that survive an audit Recertification applications are audited at random, like initial applications. The recertification guide notes that the certifying body's own clinical practice calculator can help total the practice hours and can be submitted if you are audited. A dated log makes that calculator quick to fill: you can read off the hours by setting and period instead of estimating a percentage of each job years later. - Log practice sessions as you go, with the date, the time and what you did. - Keep every course certificate with its credit category and hours. - Keep your basic life support certificate; the credential does not need to be current, but the course must fall in the cycle. - Note your self assessment plan's focus areas once you have them. ## Worked example: four and a half years into a cycle A consultant certified on 1 March 2022 logs an hour of consultations most weeks, a year of administration, and six courses. Counted by this site's engine as of 27 September 2026, the cycle ends 1 March 2027. Practice hours: 289 of 250, already reached, with the administration counted and a shadowing morning left out. Credits: 55 of 75, of which 45 lactation (against 50), 4 ethics including 2 WHO Code hours (against 5), and 6 related including basic life support. With about five months left, this consultant needs more lactation and ethics credits, not more practice. ## Common mistakes - Counting practice hours or courses from before the start of the current cycle, including from an earlier cycle. - Counting basic life support by the hour instead of per course, or counting more than 6 credits for it in one cycle. - Forgetting that the WHO Code hours are part of the ethics minimum, not extra. - Leaving credits until the September deadline of the expiry year. ## Frequently asked questions **Do I still have to resit the exam every ten years?** No. The recertification FAQ says certificants are no longer required to recertify by exam every ten years. At each five year mark you choose the exam or credits. **Is the recertification counter free here?** Yes. Free spreadsheets already exist for tracking credits, so the counter on the progress page is free for everyone and always will be. **Does this site tell me I can recertify?** No. It counts your logged hours and courses against the published numbers. Lactation Ledger does not determine eligibility. The certifying body decides eligibility. ## Sources - [Recertification Guide](https://ibclc-commission.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/2025_March-24_Recertification-Guide_Final.pdf), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), 24 March 2025, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The 75 credits and their minimums, basic life support, WHO Code hours, and the 250 practice hours and what they may include. - [Recertification FAQs](https://ibclc-commission.org/faqs-for-recertification/), IBCLC Commission (International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners), web page, no revision date shown, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The counting period, the deadline and the ten year exam rule. # Diabetes educator hours: 1,000 in 5 years, 200 in the last URL: https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/guide/diabetes-educator-hours/ Last reviewed: 27 September 2026 To apply for the diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) credential you need at least 1,000 hours providing diabetes care and education in the United States or its territories within the 5 years before you apply, with at least 200 of those hours, 20 percent, in the most recent 12 months. No more than 40 hours a week may be claimed. You also need 15 hours of diabetes continuing education in the 2 years before applying, 2 years of practice in your discipline, and a qualifying licence or registration. ## What counts as diabetes care and education The eligibility page describes diabetes care and education as diabetes self management education and support by credentialed health professionals: assessment, care planning, interventions, ongoing support, monitoring, documentation and developing services. Claim only the time you spend doing that, not your whole working week. - Teaching other health professionals does not count toward the initial hours. - Administrative duties does not count toward the initial hours. - Health fair screening does not count toward the initial hours. The board has no required log form. It says your supervisor, or another health professional such as a physician if you are in private practice, must be able to verify your hours if you are chosen for an audit. A dated log with the supervisor named is the simplest way to make that easy. ## Breaking the numbers down The eligibility page itself suggests breaking the total down over the years and then over the weeks. 1,000 hours over 5 years is about four hours a week. The catch is the most recent year: you need 200 hours in the 12 months before you apply, which is close to four hours every week of that year on its own. Someone who did most of their diabetes work earlier and has since moved to another role can have the total and still be short on the recent year. The 2 years of practice in your discipline are separate from the hours. The page allows a one year waiver of that practice requirement for a master's degree or higher in a health related field. This site does not track the practice years or your licence; it reminds you of them on the progress page. ## Renewal is a different count Once certified, renewal runs on a 5 year cycle. The renewal page lists three routes built from 1,000 practice hours, 75 continuing education hours and the exam. This site counts the initial numbers only. ## Worked example: a dietitian with a gap in the last year A dietitian logged eight hours a week of individual diabetes education from January 2023 to mid 2025, a spring of teaching sessions for nurses, then three hours a week of group education from October 2025, with one very heavy week in March 2026. Counted by this site's engine as of 27 September 2026: 1,238 hours in five years, above the 1,000, but 190 hours in the last 12 months, 10 short of the 200. The teaching sessions (63 hours) are left out because teaching other professionals does not count, and 11 hours of the heavy week are above the 40 hour cap. The recent year, not the total, is what holds this application back. ## Common mistakes - Claiming more than 40 hours in a week. - Counting teaching other health professionals, administration or health fair screenings. - Reaching 1,000 hours but missing the 200 in the most recent year. - Keeping no record your supervisor could verify. ## Frequently asked questions **Is there an official hours log?** No. The eligibility page says there is no required form or log for initial certification; your supervisor must be able to verify your hours if you are audited. **Can volunteer hours count?** The eligibility page refers to volunteer or employment hours, so volunteer diabetes care and education can count if it is real care and education and someone can verify it. **Is the diabetes pack free here?** It is one of the features Premium adds when paid plans are switched on. In a build with no paid plans, every feature on this site is free. ## Sources - [CDCES Eligibility Requirements](https://www.cbdce.org/cdces/eligibility-requirements), Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education, web page, no revision date shown, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The 1,000 and 200 hours, the 40 hour week, what does not count, verification and the 15 education hours. - [CDCES Renewal](https://www.cbdce.org/cdces/renewal), Certification Board for Diabetes Care and Education, web page with 2026 renewal deadlines, read 27 September 2026. Used for: The renewal cycle and routes. # Questions about Lactation Ledger URL: https://lactationledger-web.pages.dev/faq/ ## Answers **Does Lactation Ledger tell me whether I can sit the exam?** No. Lactation Ledger does not determine eligibility. The certifying body decides eligibility. It totals the hours you log and shows them against the published pathway numbers, with the source named, so you can see what is missing. **Is this site part of the IBCLC Commission or IBLCE?** No. 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. It names them only to say whose published requirements it summarises. **Where are my hours stored?** Only in this browser, on this device. There is no account and nothing you log is uploaded. Export a backup file from the log page now and then, because clearing your browser's site data deletes the log. **Should I type patient or family names into the log?** No. The log has no field for a patient and does not need one: hours are counted by date, minutes, setting and activity. Keep notes general, such as a latch assessment or a feeding plan follow up, so the log never holds health information about anyone. **Why do my shadowing hours show as not counted?** The Candidate Information Guide says observation or shadowing of lactation practitioners does not count as lactation specific clinical hours. The log keeps the entry so your record is complete, and leaves it out of every pathway total. **Which pathway should I pick?** The one you are actually following. Pathway 1 is for recognised health professionals and recognised breastfeeding support counsellors, Pathway 2 is an accredited lactation academic programme, and Pathway 3 is a mentorship plan verified before you earn hours. The progress page shows all three totals so you can compare. **Is the printed summary an official form?** No. It is our own layout of your numbers by setting and month, to help you fill in the certifying body's own calculator or answer an audit. The certifying body's documents and forms are the ones you submit. **What happens to hours older than five years?** They stay in your log but drop out of the totals once they are more than five years before your count date. The progress page lists the hours that leave the window in the next 90 days so you can plan when to apply. **Does it track recertification?** Yes, for free. Enter the date you were certified and the progress page works out your current five year cycle, then counts the practice hours and continuing education from the start of that cycle toward the 250 hours and the 75 credits, with the lactation, ethics and WHO Code minimums. **Can I use it for diabetes care and education specialist hours?** Yes. The diabetes educator pack counts diabetes care and education hours toward the 1,000 hours in five years, with at least 200 in the most recent year, the 40 hour weekly cap and the 15 continuing education hours in two years.