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?

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

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

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.

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

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

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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."

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.

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.

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.

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.