Is it time to decide between going through the effort to renew your IBCLC® certification or letting it lapse? Have you been vacillating between the two options, not sure what to do? Maybe you’ve been leaning against renewing your IBCLC certification, figuring something like “I don’t really need my IBCLC certification because I am (too old, a stay-at-home mom, not in maternal/child health any more, retired, a bad test-taker, etc.)”
Stop. Put that line of thought on hold for just a minute and consider the other side. Before you give up your certification, consider these 5 reasons why you should renew your IBCLC certification NOW.
Your dream job may show up tomorrow
I get it. The process to renew your IBCLC certification can seem like a pain. I questioned whether I needed more credentials or certifications than what I already had, or if recertifying was worth the hassle, or expense. Later, I realized that I would have been ineligible for a big career leap if I had not re-certified.
What opportunities might come around the bend for you? Do you want to be ready to embrace them?
Having any certification always enhances your professional credibility
Earning a state license shows that you have passed a general exam. But holding a specialty certification — lactation or fetal monitoring or inpatient obstetrics or any other certification — helps others to know that you have gone the extra mile to learn all you can about a specialty area, and they can trust your expert opinion in that area.
Do you want to give up the credibility that your certification conveys?
You don’t know where your life might take you
Even if you are past the point where you’re actively looking for a job, and even if you’re thinking about retiring, it’s likely that you will find that renewing your IBCLC certification is beneficial. Others will know that you are a health care professional who is passionate about obtaining a high level of expertise about health care topics. That’s a bonus in many situations.
For example, you might find that parents seek you out and trust you. They might not need “consultations,” but rather they need support for breastfeeding infants with chronic feeding problems. Or, perhaps volunteering at a women’s shelter, a home for pregnant women, or on a mission trip to Fiji appeals to you. You might not have to be paid — but you do have to be picked!
Are you planning to renew your IBCLC certification soon? Let us help! What opportunities might arise that your certification would benefit? Tell me in the comments below!