Lactation Professional Articles
To start a career in the Lactation Profession, one must complete a professional lactation course. This helps in the foundational credentials that will help in the practice, however, the coursework itself is not the only criteria to be successful in this field. Hands-on experience with live cases is recommended, in fact essential, just like any other medical profession. So how does one get clinical experience in the lactation field? Let’s discuss how this could be achieved.
Big Hospitals: Arguably hospitals have the highest caseload of patients per day, therefore you can approach a hospital in the same city and offer lactation support services in addition to their nursing and childcare support. Such an association could be voluntary or paid, based on mutual trust and confidence. Hospitals specializing in newborn child care would be ideal for getting clinical experience in lactation. Also, in a hospital setup, it is easier for a Lactation Professional to refer cases in-house when medical intervention is required.
Nursing Homes: These offer specific cases of maternity and newborn admissions, therefore, a great option to gain clinical lactation experience. Nursing home setups are smaller and usually confined to a local community. With a strong foundation of gynecology and pediatric support, nursing homes are ideal for Lactation Professionals to approach for an internship, mentorship, or volunteering services.
Private Practice: Private practices allow similar exposure to patient caseloads as the hospital, though the volume is probably lower. For a newly certified Lactation Professional from a non-medical background, to be associated with a private practitioner is a great way to start his/ her career. A private practitioner is likely to be more open to having a Lactation Professional in the clinic and supporting patient cases along with the primary medic.
Community settings: A lot of impactful work is done at the grassroots level in India via ASHA and Anganwadi workers. Working closely with them provides opportunities to make a difference to families who cannot always afford consultation via nursing homes or hospitals. One can gain clinical lactation experience in their own community by volunteering and joining their initiatives.
Gaining clinical experience in the lactation field can be done in many ways. Keeping an open mind and a drive to look for opportunities through networking and referrals will always serve well in progressing in the Lactation Professional career.
