i want to be a bf counsellor, anyone ?

[charmum3]

not even sure if tis is in the right place, am not a hcp but am experienced at bf anyone got any advice or contacts?

[nickypomtimes]

breastfeeding network are fab.

check out their website for training info

[DitaVonCheese]

I started training with the NCT a few months ago. It's a very impressive, well-regarded course with a diploma at the end of it, and takes 3-5 years to complete (depending on your own pace of work). You can find more info here though it does say that they have temporarily closed applications.

If that sounds a bit daunting then you can train as a peer supporter which I think only takes a few weeks, but not sure who does the training or where you find out about it! Googling/someone better informed than me might help.

I am loving my course so far :)

[festivefriedawhingesagain]

You can train with NCT, Breastfeeding Network, the Association of Breastfeeding Mothers, or La Leche League.

I am planning on training with the ABM next year as I did the Mother Supporter one in late summer. I chose ABM because it is home study - no formal study days to attend.

Really enjoyed the MS training, it was much more detailed than the Peer Supporter thing at the Sure Start which I also did.

[MigGril]

I've trained with the Breastfeeding Network, have found them very good. Lot's of local support and backup. Plus when I did my helper course they had a creach for my toddler. I've only done the helper traning so far but hooing to go on and do the supporter traning soon.

I did try the NCT first but didn't get anyware, they where having admin problems at the time I tried to apply. We also don't have a local tutor so I would have had to travel and pay for childcare to get to my nearest tutor which would have made it quit expensive for me to do the course.

[crikeybadger]

AFAIK. only the NCT course leads to a diploma.

Dita- glad you are enjoying the course. Could you give me some idea of how many hours of home study you are doing a week and how many weekends away you have to do. I'm going to do peer supporter training soo with a view to doing the bfc course afterward.

Thanks

[DitaVonCheese]

I am currently doing er no home study but in my defence I've been given about two weeks to pull together our local NCT newsletter, whilst simultaneously having no internet, so that's taken up quite a lot of my time. It says in the handbook that you should allow about 6-7 hours per week, but also that it's fine to do an assignment per every other tutorial, which I'm sure would take a lot less time than that (I'm a fast reader though, which helps). Also I think you can probably count hanging out on the bf board as work (I have learned loads on here!).

I think there are only two or possibly three weekends away but there is also one three hour tutorial per month and a few study days here and there - I've done one so far and another coming up some time soon. You're also expected to volunteer with your branch and need to attend an NCT antenatal course which obviously takes up quite a bit of time (though I'm looking forward to that as they were full up when I was actually pg) so it is fairly demanding time-wise. Worth it though I think! :)

Hope that helps, let me know if you want to know anything else.

[charmum3]

thankyou guys, will contact all of the above, am on mat leave at the mo so i have time on my hands, thankyou again

[EauRouge]

I've just started LLL training. It's all very flexible and family-orientated which is lucky because I'm having DC2 in Feb but some people prefer things to be a bit more structured. You don't have to attend any classes but you do have to keep in regular contact with a couple of people via email, phone or in person.

More info here .

[crikeybadger]

Thanks for the info Dita- that's very useful.

I'm going to look in to all the organisations offering the course. I guess it's best to go with one that operates near to where you are.

[MummyElk]

i'm halfway through peer support training with Barnardo's and loving it - giving me much more info which is what i needed, plus teaching me to counsel (rather than advise). I wasn't sure I was made of the right stuff to be a bf cllr (i've seen others fall by the wayside) so this is a good introduction for me.
and I haven't ruled out becoming a BF counsellor at some point in the future. So can't be too bad.
good luck

[NinkyNonker]

I've been interested in this, how much experience do you need? And what sort of experiences? I've only been breastfeeding for 4 months and haven't had any problems so perhaps I don't have enough real world experience to be considered?

[EauRouge]

NinkyNonker, I think it must depend on who you do your training with. With LLL you don't need any qualifications but you do need to have been BF for 9 months or more before you apply for leadership. There's a list of prerequisites here

If there's a group near you then you can go along and find out more and see if they offer peer support programmes which I don't think has the same criteria as leadership.

Don't worry if you've never had any problems, it's been all plain sailing for me too! They train you to help identify different problems and to support women through them.

[NinkyNonker]

Ok, thanks. It is something I'm really interested in, perhaps I'll contact them/register my interest and then when I get to 9 months odd chase it further. Thanks!

[Hulla]

LLL for me too. The course content is excellent and I have had some events to attend which DD has been very welcome at which was a big factor for me, I didn't want to lose time with her in order to be with other women and their babies.

I was also accepted onto an NHS peer supporter programme but they were concerned that I'd put people off if they knew I was bf dd (22 months now) and they implied that I'd judge other mothers for not bringing their children up in an LLL-way ?which they defined as "you know, co-sleeping, no discipline and using slings etc". There is no LLL-way, they help mothers to breastfeed that's it. Some co-sleep some don't etc etc. It's probably the least judgemental group I have ever been part of. I felt very judged by the PCT infant feeding coordinator though and declined the offer in the end.

[kathryn2804]

I've just started my ABM counsellor traing. i like it because it's mostly 'distance' learning so easy to do alongside work and family. i did our local peer supporter training first and volunteer at the local breastfeeding drop-in so have loads of practical experience

Have a chat to your HV, see if there's any training schemes locally first