12/12/2025
Delayed; not DENIED!
Whewww, where do I start?! September 2015, Venus was 4 months old. I had just gotten my milk supply back after having to relactate, which took about 2 months to accomplish. In that 2 months, I felt every emotion a human could feel. Defeat, shame, anxiety, lonely, more shame, and so on. But by the end of it, I felt relieved, and accomplished!
And while that ending feeling made everything I went through worth it, I had made up my mind that I never wanted another mom to feel as low as I did in those months. It took another 2 years to completely come out of what I now know was postpartum anxiety and OCD, and I vowed that I would not stand by while other moms also had to feel that way.
So, I did some research and decided that I wanted to become an IBCLC, so I'd have the knowledge and credentials to actually help mommas like me. September 2018, I enrolled in CCP. During my time there, we experienced COVID, I had my baby boy, and got engaged to my best friend! I graduated with my first degree in May of 2023 and thought that was as good as it would get. August of that same year I started the Human Lactation Consultant Program at Drexel University (where I was working at the time), and graduated in May 2024.
I left the program feeling anxious and excited to sit for the board! September 2024, I sat for the IBCLC exam, after minimal preparation because of so much happening at the time. 12 weeks later, on December 14th, the day before my birthday, I found out I failed the exam. 💔 Needless to say, I was heartbroken. My confidence and self esteem took a major hit. Here I was, leading groups, helping countless women with breastfeeding and I had just failed the exam that would've given me the credentials that say I'm qualified to. Embarrassed, ashamed, defeated, and damn near suicidal at the thought of almost 10 years of work was for nothing.
After about a month, I finally collected myself and got busy! I knew that wasn't how my story was supposed to go! May of this year, is registered for the exam again and studied my ass off non-stop for MONTHS! I'm talking, in between clients at work, listening to audio lectures in the car and while cooking..