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Infant feeding

Get advice and support with infant feeding from other users here.

Original poster

Breastfeeding Peer Counsellors

29 replies

frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 12:53

Hey,

Any Breastfeeding Peer Counsellors out there that want to share ideas and experience? New website aimed at helping women and babies and raising the profile of breastfeeding peer support in the UK as a viable way to prevent women experiencing breastfeeding problems because of various barriers they face.

TIA
FBaggins ;)

OP posts:
Starsandplanets · 08/02/2011 12:55

Just off out to pick up DD. Marking my place to comment later. :)

crikeybadger · 08/02/2011 12:59

Do you mean peer supporters or breastfeeding counsellors frodo?

I'm halfway through a peer support course and would be interested to share. Smile

Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 13:01

Sorry! here

OP posts:
Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 13:02

Peer Counsellors or Supporters CrikeyBadger Smile

OP posts:
crikeybadger · 08/02/2011 13:11

Ok gotcha frodo
Thanks for the link - will take a look later.

KaraStarbuckThrace · 08/02/2011 13:23

'Can't believe you guys used Clare Byam Cook for breastfeeding advice?!'
(recent post)

I like this site already Grin

Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 17:46

Lol she was on the Vanessa 11am show - here

Crikey, I'd love to share ideas Smile.

OP posts:
moaningminniewhingesagain · 08/02/2011 18:23

In the helplines section - The National Breastfeeding Helpline doesn't seem to be listed? The one staffed by ABM and BFN counsellors.

Will have a proper look once my DCs are in bedSmile Looks great though!

Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 18:54

cheers moaningminniewhingesagain - the helpline is there - its just under BfN. Maybe it should say - National Breastfeeding Helpline... is it staffed by ABM and BFN??

OP posts:
gaelicsheep · 08/02/2011 19:03

Sorry, I've had quick look at this site and spotted this on the home page:

"If you are a Peer Counsellor, Peer Supporter or other Health Professional with experience helping mums and babies"

This is clearly misleading as it suggests that peer supporters/counsellors/whatever are health professionals which they are not. Even qualified b/f counsellors would not call themselves health professionals.

The National Breastfeeding Helpline number, staffed by ABM and BfN volunteers, is 0300 100 0212.

gaelicsheep · 08/02/2011 19:09

I actually really dislike the term Peer Counsellor, because of the huge potential for confusion. Peer supporter is much better IMO.

Here are two articles that talk about the value of peer supporters, but also the confusion that this role can cause: here and here.

Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 19:09

Hey gaelicsheep, you're right - get rid of 'other'...

Anyone know of any campaigns like this one going on round the country. Am thinking about trying something like this down 'ere Grin.

OP posts:
gaelicsheep · 08/02/2011 19:12
Smile
Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 19:15

You'd better have a word with La Leche League about the term Breastfeeding Peer Counsellor - this is the difference between the LLL Peer Counsellors and the LLL Leaders.

There are lots of types of Peer Counsellors - not just breastfeeding ones.

OP posts:
Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 19:15

Sorry that sounds abrupt. Meant lightly gaelic Smile.

OP posts:
gaelicsheep · 08/02/2011 19:24

Yes I realise LLL uses the term, but I still think it's misleading. Smile

Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 08/02/2011 19:25
Smile
OP posts:
crikeybadger · 09/02/2011 11:27

Agree with gaelicsheep about the term being confusing. It's sort of a cross between peer supporter and breastfeeding counsellor.

Is the website yours frodo?

Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 09/02/2011 17:20

I can't believe its confusing people already Confused that's no good! I just thought that is what we were called?!

It is mine crikeybadger. Not sure how I feel about posting it on mumsnet, wasn't sure if it was the done thing - but I know there are peer supporters here and just really wanted to see if anyone wanted to share ideas and see what was going on elsewhere. There is such good information out there for people to see if only they know where to find it so really want to contribute to raising awareness of the real deal so to speak.

Anyway, no worries. Thanks for the heads up re: 'other' gaelic.

OP posts:
gaelicsheep · 09/02/2011 19:42

The problem for me is that you are not counselling, nor are you trained in counselling AFAIK ("you" meaning "breastfeeding peer counsellors" as a group, not just you). B/f counsellors train for up to 2 years in massive detail. From what I can see a breastfeeding peer counsellor is exactly the same as a peer supporter, the role being as a well informed friend NOT a counsellor.

The point being that you yourselves may well know you are not qualified b/f counsellors, but do the women you are speaking to know/understand this?

I think the websie is a good idea, but
a) you must make sure you have all your facts right, and
b) IMO you should drop the LLL term and call yourselves peer supporters, as that term is better defined and understood.

Sorry to be picky, but HTH.

NinkyNonker · 09/02/2011 22:06

I'm training as a peer supporter at the mo (only done 2 wks of 6 so far) and am in the process of applying to do the NCT Breastfeeding Counselling course...loooong process!

PenguinArmy · 09/02/2011 22:14

I not actually a peer supporter what ever, but the pink 'support' on the home page can be quite difficult to read and also the information on the front page seems to repeat itself quite a bit and is generally quite waffly.

Really you don't want people having to scroll down, you want a nice concise paragraph or two just there and easy to read.

Haven't actually glanced the rest of it yet

PenguinArmy · 09/02/2011 22:18

also it's rather difficult at first glance to work out what the site is about. At first I thought it was you advertising your services to new mums, but then there is that bit about other counsellors.

I think it's a good idea, but there is still a lot of thinking to do considering the aim of each page and making sure that comes across. I think it's largely the intros of each page that could do with some work.

Of course this will involve various iterations as the vision becomes clearer in your head

Original poster
frodobaggins911 · 10/02/2011 07:37

Food for thought, thanks. Appreciate it. Those flipping links - they are supposed to be green!

OP posts:
PenguinArmy · 10/02/2011 08:54

sorry I've just realised that I didn't really soften what I had to say. People say I'm blunt Blush

My excuse is that I'm at my ILs

again sorry

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