Lactation Consultant may be a career path which is not talked about a lot but for those who find their calling in the nursing field, it could be an option. Dr Preeti Gangan tells us more about this line of work. Dr Gangan is also a member of Medela India's Lactation Consultant Club.
A lactation consultant is a medical professional who helps a lactating mother with any problems related to breastfeeding. An International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) is a specialist in this field. The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBCLE) is the only certifying body which awards this credential. As a lactation consultant, one can work for a hospital or clinic, or self-independently. They can also become an advocate for breastfeeding in public health, design breastfeeding programs for hospital neonatal departments, and lead continuing education classes for healthcare professionals.
A lactation consultant primarily comes to the aid of new mothers who counsels and clears doubts related to nursing babies, breastfeeding or child and maternal health.
Job Roles and Responsibilities
According to the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, the employment of registered nurses is projected to grow by 22 per cent between 2008 and 2018. The career outlook for nurses is excellent and those who specialise in a particular health care are often sought-after.
Post-delivery, a lactation consultant is expected to help new mothers with their nursing session. Gradually, they need to conduct various antenatal sessions with the mother and help with breastfeeding positions, feeding patterns and other nursing aspects
Academic qualifications required
There are many opportunities abroad for those who aspire. Also, Breast Feeding Promotion Network of India (BPNI) conducts a program for a few months to train women to become lactation counsellors.
Are there any certification or licensure requirements?
Those who want to become International Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs) must meet the preparation requirements set by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). To become eligible to take the IBLCE certification exam, prospective IBCLCs must meet standards for health sciences education, lactation education, and lactation clinical experiences. The IBCLC certification is valid for a period of five years. IBCLCs must also retake the certification exam once every ten years. Lactation consultant certificate programs take about one year to complete.
Estimated Remuneration
Lactation consultants are high end salaried professionals. Lactation consultants cane be self-employed or those who are lactation consultants in addition to being doctors or nurses can advance their careers with further education and training.