What is a Lactation Professional? Lactation professionals (LP) provide skilled lactation care and support to families through the perinatal time period. LPs work in various community settings with a referral based support team** and do not provide medical services, treatment, prescription or diagnosis unless their primary degree permits this (ie: doctors, pediatricians, OB/ Gynacs, etc). **Referral based support teams may include doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, dentists, psychologists, speech and language pathologists, occupational therapists, and others professions. *Please note the abbreviation and title of lactation consultant, IBCLC and LC is exclusively for those who have passed the IBCLE Board Examination. What is the purpose of ALPI’s Scope of Practice for Lactation Professionals? ALPI Members must affirm the ALPI Scope of Practice upon induction to membership and with each membership renewal. ALPI Members commit ALPI’s Mission of “Providing, Promoting, Protecting and Partnering for breastfeeding and lactation in India.” ALPI’s Scope of Practice for Lactation Professionals functions as a set of guidelines and practices for Lactation Professionals practicing in India.
Providing Lactation Professionals:
Provide knowledgeable and competent lactation support to families through skilled lactation care, using evidence based practice and adhering to ALPI’s Code of Conduct.
Pursue educational opportunities and continued training to keep current in lactation skills and evidence based practice.
Provide lactation/ breastfeeding training and education for lactation students, medical professionals, allied healthcare workers, medical students through training, conferences, workshops, seminars, continuing education sessions, etc. in order to expand the lactation profession.
Provide educational opportunities for families during lactation in each unique situation (before and after birth, going back to work, etc.).
Customize and adapt skilled lactation support to meet each family’s and community’s needs.
Empower and engage the families through community support groups and other community based resources through onsite opportunities and social media programs.
Use the title or designation from their certificate for practicing as a Lactation Professional.
Utilize a referral based system with qualified medical professionals to support a family’s needs.
Promoting Lactation Professionals:
Promote the lactation/ breastfeeding field through public awareness and continued professional development.
Promote other quality lactation/ breastfeeding professionals who support families during antenatal and postnatal time period greater teamwork and a referral based system of support.
Promote skilled lactation care through excellent practice for greater impact in the lactation field and the breastfeeding indicators.
Protecting Lactation Professionals:
Protect breastfeeding by following and developing new evidence-based lactation initiatives, standards, policies and monitoring procedures for lactation and breastfeeding professionals in India.
Protect breastfeeding by following, monitoring and promoting the WHO International Code for the Marketing of Infant Milk Substitutes and IMS Act India.
Protect breastfeeding by only working for, giving seminars for or promoting companies and organizations that are compliant of the WHO International Code and the IMS Act India.
Protecting breastfeeding as the highest priority through skilled lactation care and advising about alternative feeding methods specifically when medically indicated.
Partnering Lactation Professionals:
Partner with breastfeeding supportive organizations which are WHO Code/ IMS Act compliant, both in India and internationally with respect and mutual benefit.
Partner and collaborate with members of the professional community: lactation, medical and allied health in a respectful and collaborative manner.
Uphold the ALPI’s values of: Professionalism, Respect, Teamwork and Solidarity.
WHO Code/ IMS Act/ Conflict of Interest Lactation Professionals:
Commit to ALPI’s Mission of “Providing, Promoting, Protecting and Partnering for breastfeeding and lactation in India.”
Commit to upholding and adhering to the ALPI Code of Conduct.
Commit to upholding the WHO International Code for the Marketing of Infant Milk Substitutes and IMS Act India.
Commit to working excellently and professionally without conflict of interests, including work with organizations that do not adhere to the WHO Code and IMS Act.
ALPI Members understand that if they are found to have a conflict of interest or to not be following any aspect of ALPI’s Code of Conduct or ALPI’s Scope of Practice for Lactation Professionals the ALPI Executive Team can terminate their membership at any time.
