BECOME A MEMBER OF NMC

Join Nursing Mothers Counsel

Nursing Mothers Counsel’s services are all free of charge. Our funding comes from membership dues, pump sales and rentals, product sales, and donations made by members and families we serve. 

There are several ways you can support Nursing Mothers Counsel: Become a counselor or an associate/affiliate member, make a one-time or recurring donation, or give back to NMC by shopping with eScript.

Membership Types:

Full Member: If you have nursed your baby for at least st six months and complete the NMC training requirements within 6 months, you will become a Full Member and volunteer counselor. Full Members receive the NMC newsletter (with news about our organization as well as timely lactation-related articles), continuing education opportunities, invitations to community events (i.e. milk drives, NMC exhibits), NMC social events, and access to our Facebook Counselors group.  Annual dues are $25 in August each year, after initial training, or a single lifetime membership fee is available. 

Affiliate Member: If you are a professional (nurse, dietician, doula, etc.) who would like to receive NMC’s training to further your career goals, you can complete our training and become an Affiliate Member. You will receive our newsletter, continuing education opportunities, and invitations to events.  Annual dues are $40 in August each year, after initial training, or a single lifetime membership fee is available.

3) Associate Member: If you are someone who wants to support NMC but not go through any training, you may become an Associate Member.  You will receive NMC's newsletter and invitation to events.Annual dues are $40 in August each year or a single lifetime membership fee is available.

Counsel

Become a volunteer breastfeeding counselor

Nursing Mothers Counsel counselors are volunteers who go through extensive training to become skilled counselors.

Each member has

• breastfed their baby for at least six months

• received 20 hours of breastfeeding education

• taken a comprehensive exam

• completed reading requirements

• attended an NMC breastfeeding community class

• shadowed with a lactation consultant or participated in a home visit

• counseled parents under the supervision of an advisor

New members serve a provisional period of six months, under the guidance of an experienced member who serves as an advisor/mentor. New members are often parents who receive assistance from NMC counselors and want to support other new parents so they, too, can have a successful and positive breastfeeding experience.

New member training is held every 1-2 years. If you are interested in joining the next training or have questions about becoming a counselor, please complete the form below, and our Membership Chair will be in touch. We always welcome professionals who want to help new families in a volunteer capacity and provide a shortened training pathway for IBCLCs.

Please note that for those interested in becoming IBCLCs, if you are following Pathway I, NMC does NOT provide hours of lactation-specific clinical practice in a supervised setting. If interested in becoming a CLE, NMC does not provide CLE certification. NMC has volunteer counselors who enjoy providing free lactation support to families so much that they have gone on to become IBCLCs!

upcoming Training

Our next training will be in Redwood City and the dates have not been determined but we are targeting Spring 2025.

Cost

$300 for NMC volunteers
$500 for professionals
Textbook included

Become an affiliate member

 If you are a professional (nurse, dietician, doula, etc.) who would like to receive NMC’s training to further your career goals, you can complete our training and become an Affiliate Member. You will not be an NMC breastfeeding counselor, but you will still receive our newsletter and continuing education opportunities. 

If you are interested in the training, please fill out the form, and let us know in the message that you are a professional.

Other ways to support NMC

escrip.com

Sign up using one of our group IDs

• SF Bay Area: 130495033

• Santa Cruz: 139295047

cash Donations

You are always welcome to donate by cash or check when you attend a class or group, or meet with a counselor at a home visit.