UNICEF Breastfeeding Training.

[pretentiouswasteoftime]

Our local PCT has recently paid for all HVs, nursery nurses, staff nurses and school nurses to complete this training. It was an utterly fantastic course even for those of us who feel we do a good job. If anything I feel greater confidence than before.
I asked if the midwives would be doing the course but they are deemed "already trained". Trouble is that postnatal care is such a Cinderella service these days that little support is available. The PCT have bought in Breastfeeding supporters but there are not enough of them. Sadly I am still seeing women at 11-14 days who are struggling with feeding after bad advice, a poor latch and a struggling baby.
Brilliant course though and I have even been able to turn round feeding for some who might have given up previously. Just wish all HVS and teams were getting the same training.

...the course did not neglect formula feeding either. This is good as I have always felt that families need the right information to decide re feeding and then good support once they have decided. Their decision could be to bottle feed which is fine in my book as long as they feel happy.

Sometimes wish there was a "like" button on MN, to which I would "like" both these posts. I often feel that Breastfeeding Counsellors should be called "Infant Feeding Counsellors" because if we really want the very best for all babies and their mums, for those mums who move to formula we need to know all the most up to date research and information on formula and how to use it in order to protect babies from poorly made up formula (etc). Obviously most people doing PS or BFC work do know this, but then mums who move to formula don't necessarily know to ask us. :(

Seems odd that school nurses would take preference over mws for this training though.

Yeah - school nurses got it as they are employed by the PCT but the midwives are not. I would much rather the hospital Trust saw that midwives got this training. The hospital has got accreditation as a Baby Friendly hospital meaning that they are knowledgable and able to support parents with feeding (either breast or bottle), my experience as a HV though suggests some of the practice is very hit and miss with regards to what parents experience. Those who need extra support are still all too often not getting this due to staffing.