Breastfeeding Workshop

[mum2fourkelly5]

Hi I'm a trained breastfeeding specialist. I would like to set up affordable breastfeeding workshops educating mothers to be in all aspects of breastfeeding. The only thing is I don't want to invest money in breastfeeding workshops to later find out there is no call for it. Would you pay a breastfeeding specialist £15 to educate you in breastfeeding?

[MrsHoarder]

You did ask for opinions on whether you would be wasting your money at the start. And most of the responses were in the form of questions and suggestions as to how you might improve your business model.

That everyone has raised problems with your approach and not one person has said "yes I want(ed) a paid for breastfeeding workshop" might suggest it won't be plain sailing.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

As an HCP with over 12 years' experience in my specialism, I've done nationally-recognised courses which I thought 'would have nothing to teach me', but I did them to instil confidence in my patients and colleagues that I undertake recognised continuing professional development. Two things happened every time 1) they confirmed that I have been doing the right thing (very important) and 2) I did actually learn something.

I would also not pay for breast feeding counselling, especially not from someone without the back-up of a national organisation. I had a horrific start to breastfeeding while I was living in a very rural area with extremely limited resources. I still got all the help I needed for free.

Best of luck OP, because I think you're going to need it.

[tiktok]

OP, no one attacked you. I raised some questions about your training and whatever on-going training/development you would be able to demonstrate, and I was polite and restrained. I pointed out that working with groups is a different skill and knowing a lot about bf is not really relevant to that.

You don't know about other training, yet you think no one would have anything to teach you about it at all. I have been involved in bf support for a long time too, and I am still learning all the time.

If you do decide to go ahead with paid-for support - and there is nothing wrong with that in principle, IMO - then you are going to have to be honest about your background and training....saying you have trained 'with Jack Newman' for example would give the wrong idea.

[KatAndKit]

I wouldn't pay because it is a service that I expect to be provided for free, as with any other healthcare service. And it is. As part of my antenatal classes I attended a 90 minute session about breastfeeding which covered most of what I needed to know at that stage. My local BF support group is free and staffed by trained professionals. LLL do not charge me for attending their meetings and do not require me to pay to join the organization. So given the choice between spending fifteen quid or saving it, I'd opt to save it.
I think if you wish to work in this field you need to get yourself employed by or contracted with, an organization that offers help to women for free as most people will not want to pay for it.

[VisualiseAHorse]

It's not that they couldn't teach you something new, it's that more mums are more likely to use your services if you have that group's training.

It's like saying "I can speak fluent French and I learnt with this guy's e-course" against "I was trained by the National French-speaking association, which everyone knows of."

[SirBoobAlot]

...

[mum2fourkelly5]

I appreciate everyone's opinions and thank you to all who replied. Iv'e not been put off at all if anything it has given me a bigger drive to succeed as its all about supporting new mothers who needs our expertise and skills not defending friends or treading on other breastfeeding trained professionals toes. If I decide to write a book on breastfeeding in the future I will make an effort to mention you guys in my biography! All the best :-)xx

[Bert2e]

If you want the very specialised knowledge you talk about why not train as an IBCLC?

[MoaningMingeWhimpersAgain]

Hear hear SirBoob. I don't know any professional who says they already know everything. That's why all the professions have requirements for CPD of some kind.

[SirBoobAlot]

Please don't go into things with that attitude, as you will simply put people off. Everyone can always learn more.

[mum2fourkelly5]

I think I will carry on with the training route I have taken. Thanks for all your opinions and advice but I have so much experience working with newborns and in breastfeeding support I don't think there is anything the N.C.T and like wise could teach me I already know! And their training don't cover breastfeeding babies with special needs, multiples and premmies ex to the extent I wish to train to. But it's been interesting hearing all your opinions and I wish all the breastfeeding professionals all the success x

[EauRouge]

Well, you did say you were happy to hear all opinions, positive and negative! I think you've been given some very constructive feedback. I also think that it would be really difficult to set up a business like you describe without the backing of a large organisation like NCT or LLL (or the NHS) behind you.

[MrsHoarder]

Not wanting to "attack" you, but all the breastfeeding support I needed was the basic introduction in the NHS antenatal class and then as a new mum going to the local breastfeeding cafe for £1 including pints of squash and biscuits (plus bfing counsellor and local midwife support). They were run by volunteers with the midwives coming from the local health centre.

Just have a quick search for these in your local area, if there are loads then I think you'll struggle to make a living when there's effectively "free" help. The only possible business model I could see would be if you could offer 1-to-1 support in the home after discharge from hospital.

And yes to professional bodies, insurance etc. Very important in a healthcare-type setting.

[Kveta]

I'm with tiktok too! I paid for NCT antenatal classes before my first child was born, and there was a bfing class included - but I would not have paid for a class from someone not recognised by one of the UK bfing 'groups' (LLL, NCT, BfN, ABM).

[MoaningMingeWhimpersAgain]

Attacked? Really? I hope whatever role you end up working in, you have good support to discuss your work in an environment somewhat akin to clinical supervision. Counselling skills will help you to feel equipped to deal with conflicts of opinion in an appropriate fashion, BTW.

You have had some gentle, eloquent and accurate constructive criticism. Which you asked for. And you have had feedback from potential service users/clients, healthcare professionals and qualified breastfeeding helpers.

[SirBoobAlot]

I'm a breastfeeding peer supporter. Considering the hassle I have to go to to keep the funding for my group going so that mums can attend for free, my back has instantly gone up at the suggestion that people should pay for breastfeeding support.

If you sincerely want to help breastfeeding mums, then contact one of the local children's centers, or get involved with the LLL / ABM / BFN / NCT.

[midori1999]

'the poor breastfeeding women reading this'....

I'm one of those 'poor' breastfeeding women and I'm a little gobsmacked by this whole idea, but I'm not sure where your last comment comes from really. No one was attacking you!

Where I live antenatal breastfeeding classes are provided free by the NHS. I speak at them sometimes. Also for free. There are also breastfeeding cafes, other breastfeeding groups such as LLL (very informative) which are all free, so I'm not sure why most women would pay for this sort of service, particularly when the NCT is so long and well established?

If you really want to help women breastfeed and have medical qualifications, why not go down the IBCLC route?

[nellyjelly]

I don't think anyone is attacking you tbh.

[mum2fourkelly5]

Oh wow! I am really shocked! Why am I being attacked? Oh the poor breastfeeding women reading this! I have 17 years breastfeeding experience and 17 years experience working newborns and their families. We should be working together and learning from each other not attacking each other, its not professional and distressing to the poor mums turning to this site for support!Please don't turn this thread into a debate! As I said I appreciate everyone's comments negative or positive but I didn't mean that as an excuse to attack! I have a lot of experience with supporting mums with breastfeeding who have babies with special needs and have worked with healthcare professionals who are highly qualified and experienced, I worked for the N.H.S and have paper qualifications so am far from the clueless person. I really am shocked!

[EauRouge]

I'm with TikTok as well. The training does sound very in-depth but quite medically focussed- will there be any basic counselling training as well? So many breastfeeding problems can be caused by lack of confidence and support so having the ability to listen to and counsel mothers as well as trouble-shoot is very important.

How will you stay up-to-date when the training is finished? All BFC with the voluntary organisations have their training kept up-to-date with new research, new NHS policies etc. Will there be anything like that for you or will you be on your own?

I think there will always be people that will pay for a service that they could otherwise get for free (like a status symbol almost) but personally I wouldn't. I think the free services such as LLL groups and Baby Cafes are becoming easier to access for a lot of mothers so your market is probably shrinking rather than growing.

[MoaningMingeWhimpersAgain]

Totally agree with tiktok (as always )

I would only consider a qualified (by one of the 4 main associations in the UK) BFC or an IBCLC to be an actual breastfeeding 'specialist'. I think Jack Newman is fantastic, I wish we could clone him.

But the course you are doing, if it is indepth for breastfeeding, it doesn't really matter if others are doctors and paeds does it? Because you will still be an HCA with additional training, and not a paed with extensive BF knowledge either. I suspect that becoming a BFC would be, initially at least, a much more portable qualification for you but will require extensive study of both breastfeeding issues and counselling skills.