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Infant feeding

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

Original poster

'Support for peer supporters' thread

92 replies

crikeybadger · 03/06/2011 11:22

Join in here if you are a peer supporter or thinking of becoming one.

It's a space to share your good ideas for setting up and running groups, share concerns or offer suggestions for ways to support women with breastfeeding.

I know there's lots of peer supporters on this board so I think we can all learn a lot from each other. Smile

OP posts:
japhrimel · 12/06/2011 18:37

crikey - ask around or do an internet search to see if you have a volunteering bureau locally. They would usually be able to help with pointing you in the direction of the right people to talk to about local grants (and this would definitely be something a local funder would fund).

How do you go about training as a peer supporter? I don't think we have a local LLL group and BfN do peer supporter training for organisations, not individuals.I was going to ask at my local NCT group but you ladies probably know!

pearlgirl · 12/06/2011 19:34

Joining in as well - I recently finished my peer supporter training and go to the breastfeeding drop in at our local children's centre

mum2mumMS · 12/06/2011 19:47

Hello ~ I trained as a Peer Supporter 6 years ago and with 5 other ladies ran a support group for two years. When the group closed last year due to NHS cutbacks I retrained with the ABM. In March I passed my Mother Supporter Module and am now also waiting to hear if I can start their bfc course! Since March I have been fairly busy setting up mum2mum. It is such a problem having very little funding. I started with one of the free e-mail addresses and started a facebook page. I am now getting ready for the opening of mum2mum Drop~In which has its first session during Breastfeeding Awareness Week.

NotQuiteCockney · 12/06/2011 19:47

If you're going to be in different countries, LLL is the only training to do, as they're the only organisation that's active here and in other countries.

The BfN do training for individuals, it depends on local interest/availability. In my area, they do not charge for courses, all of which have a free creche, too.

(I am not comfortable saying publically on here what my training is - because if I answer threads on here, giving BF help, I am only doing it as me, not as a representative of any organisation. This is on the advice of my supervisor.)

SuseB · 12/06/2011 19:53

Well, had my first bumps and babies group on Friday - was quiet (one mum and baby!) but hopefully have three coming next week, so I'm hoping it will build up gradually as people get to know about it. The lady who came was someone I'd seen at her home a week or two ago and it was really nice to see that she had got over the difficulties she was having then.

In our area the BF supporters (trained by NHS) are on the phone rota for a local helpline (MWs give out our cards/number to all mums who are bf on discharge), attend local bf support groups and antenatal classes. I have three kids and find groups difficult in the week due to pre-school/school pick ups, which is why I decided, in consultation with my HV, to start the bumps and babies group. It seems as though we have quite a free rein to volunteer doing what we can.

I have ordered the LLL book for my growing collection :)

OnlyWantsOne · 12/06/2011 19:54

OOOOO hello :) Im 2/3s way through BfN peer supporter training and loving it :)

I go to local BF group every week, sadly some times its just me Hmm but have met lots of women that come for maybe 2 / 3 weeks, when their babies are tiny, and then they stop coming. I suspect its because they have stopped breast feeding, although I hope it's just because they are finding it dreamily easy :)

japhrimel · 12/06/2011 21:17

OnlyWantsOne - I must go back to my local BfN clinic to say hi! I stopped going as bfing was going okay and it clashed with other baby things for a while. Blush

I did think at the time that maybe it needed to be combined with a more active ongoing group, such as the NCT Bumps & Babes group or Cafe Bambino.

Unfortunately, I know there isn't a LLL group in my area - BfN, NCT and Childrens Centre groups but not LLL. I guess I'll ask the NCT group for advice.

CamperFan · 12/06/2011 21:17

Yes, keep imagining that OnlyWantsOne, because I went along a couple of times when DS2 was a couple of weeks old, but the time of it clashes with preschool pick up for DS1 so I never go now. But I'm still feeding at nearly 8 months Smile

Original poster
crikeybadger · 13/06/2011 10:56

japhrimel- regarding finding a peer support course- you could ask at the Children's Centre or give the Infant Feeding Specialist at the hospital a call.

SuseB- glad the first meeting went well. Smile Guess it will just take time for word to spread.

OP posts:
OnlyWantsOne · 13/06/2011 11:03

I'm off to my 5th training this afternoon :) only 3 left Smile

I feel very lucky I've been able to have this training. It feels as though it has given me some credentials to be able to handle comments from my mum etc

Have a lively afternoon ladies

TruthSweet · 13/06/2011 14:01

I've just got my transition module from the ABM so am very excited to be starting that tonight! (Transition module is to move you from Mother Supporter to Trainee BFC mind set).

Good luck to all those training or who are hoping to train soon Smile

Original poster
crikeybadger · 13/06/2011 14:41

Oooh well done TruthSweet- that's great news. Smile

Happy studying.

OP posts:
choceyes · 13/06/2011 16:20

Can I ask those of you that have trained to be peer supporters...how much exprience of breastfeeding do you need to have?

I have 2 DCs (2.5yrs old and 10 month old). I couldn't get my 2.5yr old DS to latch on so expressed milk for him for nearly a year, so I didn't breastfeed him. SO my exprience is only 10 months (DD bf beautifully, just goes to show how babies are so different!). I am interested in training to be a peer supporter, but not sure if this is enough exprience as I@ve only breastfed one baby? Although I do have tons of exprience on expressing milk!

Cosmosis · 13/06/2011 16:27

Yes that should be plenty, I think most places need about 6m.

lunafire · 13/06/2011 16:40

Subbing to this as I'm hoping to do a course in the autumn, assuming they can find enough people to attend the course.

organiccarrotcake · 13/06/2011 16:59

truthsweet I haven't heard yet after the weekend. They were discussing whether to accept me but I suspect that my squillions of questions (they took the microphone off me to stop me PMSL) means they'll think twice. Anyway, we will see. Fingers crossed.

Hi everyone. I'll join but can't read the thread or post anything now.

organiccarrotcake · 13/06/2011 17:00

Oh sorry, how rude (rushing you see), congrats truthsweet Grin

japhrimel · 13/06/2011 17:02

6 months with 1 baby is what I was told - I've been waiting until DD got to 6 months old (last Friday) because of that. Although she's my first, we went through so many issues and saw so many professionals I think I might have info to pass onto other Mums. The peer supporters I saw in the early weeks were lovely.

I'm going to ask at the Children's Centre and also try to go back to the BfN clinic to say hi and ask them.

choceyes · 13/06/2011 17:10

thanks! I'm really keen to start a course then. I'm going back to work 3 day a week from september, but hoping to squeeze this in too. From my exprience with DS, I only know too well how it can all go so wrong without the right support and help, so I'd love to help other new mums.

I am based in Manchester, so do I contact my HV? Or there an online website that I can register on for a course? Also we have a baby cafe nearby that I sometimes attend. I guess the midwife's there should know if there are any courses nearby.

TruthSweet · 13/06/2011 18:25

OCC - I would have thought my doorstepping of Jean 'TT' Waldman and my crushing on Wendy Jones would have been enough to get me barred but they seem to have overlooked this Grin.

I am all of a quiver to start my module tonight - POB is next to me and I am ready to go (though I have until Aug to finish it!)

frodobaggins911 · 13/06/2011 18:28

choceyes, i think LLL peer supporters were 6/9 months. LLL Leaders at least a year and you have to talk about how you weaned them sensitively but they will consider extentuating circumstances i think...

mum2mumMS · 13/06/2011 22:03

Well done Truthsweet! Hope the module goes well.

Original poster
crikeybadger · 22/06/2011 09:54

bumping for mummyelk

Anyone doing anything for breastfeeding awareness week then?

OP posts:
NotQuiteCockney · 26/06/2011 08:15

For the BfN, to be a peer supporter (aka a helper), you only need to think of yourself as a breastfeeding mother - I think I've seen mums who were pregnant with their first baby, on that course.

To be a BfN BFC (aka a supporter, confusingly enough), you need to have BF for 6 months.

latrucha · 26/06/2011 20:22

Ooo, I've just seen this and am just marking my place. I hope to be back soon to join in.

I've done the first level of training with BfN and am doing my full supporter training now, right on the back of it.