Lactation Consultant Schools in South Dakota - SD

Lactation consultants are a valued member of the healthcare team for the mother and her new baby, and South Dakota offers opportunities for those wishing to join this rewarding profession.

Black Hills State University, Dakota State University, Northern State University, South Dakota State University and the University of South Dakota are some of the public institutions that offer associate, bachelors and masters degrees in health care professions that can be utilized as part of lactation consultant education. The curriculum usually encompasses anatomy, physiology, counseling, medical terminology, and human lactation.

Through the Electronic University Consortium (EUC) of South Dakota, an initiative of the South Dakota Board of Regents, many of the institutions in South Dakota also offer accredited distance learning options that are available through videoconferencing, online or at off-campus locations as a convenient and affordable option to completing their secondary education in a health profession. These courses adhere to the same high academic standards as the face-to-face classes. For example, maternal and child nutrition and the physiology of lactation are courses that may be offered and taken via distance learning.

Clinical practice providing breastfeeding information and assistance to mothers and their babies is a key part of the training to become a credentialed lactation consultant. Some of the medical facilities in South Dakota that provide a supervised lactation practicum are Sanford USD Medical Center, Rapid City Regional Hospital, Avera Saint Luke's Hospital and Avera McKennan Hospital and University Health Center. Opportunities for lactation practicum also exist in private medical practices and public health clinics.