I want to become a breastfeeding councillor- how?

[rainbow83]

Hi, I want to transform my passion for breastfeeding into something worthwhile and am considering going into the direction of breastfeeding councilling. does anyone know the steps to do this?

I don't - I did ask this a while ago so am watching with interest

wonderful!
the NCT and ABM provide training, I will find you a link.

from the NCT website here
"Diploma in Breastfeeding Counselling
Breastfeeding counsellors are all mothers who have breastfed their babies. You know how worthwhile and enjoyable breastfeeding can be but you are also aware of the help and support that many new mothers need. Breastfeeding isn?t always easy and many mothers are taken by surprise if they run into difficulties. You will help women to overcome concerns, whether large or small, and to feel comfortable with breastfeeding. You will be there to listen to any mother who wants to contact you and to share her problems. You will offer mother-to-mother support, information and counselling where appropriate. It is your role to help build a breastfeeding mother?s confidence in her own ability to cope and to help her to make her own decisions with the benefit of evidence based information.

good luck hope you give all that enthusiasim to those mom's and babies you help!

association of breastfeeding mothers training here

LLL details here:
www.laleche.org.uk/pages/about/leader_requires.htm]
If you have a local group nearby I would recommend attending a few meetings to get a feel for them & ask to borrow the leadership back from the group library. It has loads of info in it about the application process & what being a leader involves. But I understand that LLL are very family friendly & you don't have to commit yourself to anything you don't or can't do.

If you don't have a group then contact LLL direct - you don't need a local group to apply to be a leader.

I think they recommend a minimum of 9 months-a year to go through the process...but in reality it can take longer, depending on how much work you can do. One of the leaders I know took 4 years to complete hers for various reasons!

but doesnt it say on the lll website you need to attend a full series of meetings? i may find it hard as i dont drive and i have an infant and toddler in tow..am still v keen though

I'm a member of ABM (although not a counsellor) but I think it is pretty much home study in your own time nad at your own pace.

Go for it rainbow-more desperately needed.

Don't you have to pay to train? I'd love to but daren't commit any money atm.

I didn't think so....

To train as a BF support mum with ABM is annual subscription fee (£17, I think) + £10. minimum requirement to train is having bf 1 child for at least 6mos.

Once you are a BF support mum the course to become a counsellor is free, not counting in the annual subscription fee.

Ah, thanks. Well, I certainly meet the bf requirements!!

rainbow - it is possible if you can't get to meetings. Best to phone them & have a chat - they are very flexible.

Message withdrawn

Tooticky -

Can't speak for the other orgs....but LLL just ask that you have a copy of their book which obviously costs (although second hand copies are usually available) and be a member (c.£20 per year I think)....I think there's a one off fee at the start as well of about £20 as thereafter you just have to maintain your membership every year.....as with most charities they offer a reduced rate for those on benefits/low income and there are usually funds available to help with costs if you have a group nearby.

Its also worth looking at getting funding from your local government, local health trusts, or other grant awarding bodies as by training as a BFC you will be helping your local community, even more so if you start your own group. Applying for funding is a complicated process but well worth it if it pays for all your training costs like travelling to conferences, meetings, buying books etc.

ABM expects that you will man their helplines for a minimum of 2 yrs. in order to remain a counsellor you would also have to show that you are keeping your knowledge fresh and current.

Ooh, funding...that sounds interesting...

Now, not to sound mercenary, but after the aforementioned 2 years would this help with paid employment at some point? Just wondering...

I began training (only a support mother currently) because eventhough i work as a teacher of teenage boys, i saw that counselling skills is something i can add to my CPD (Continuing Professional Development) portfolio. When i told one of my senior colleagues that i was a Support Mum she immediately said "well add it to your CPD then!"

so even while still doing your training in any job it can enhance your employability.

One of the 'things' about doing this training and which is something i have seen tiktok hilight is that there are a lot of people out there who are a) calling themselves BF counsellors but they have never done anything like the rigorous courses of any of the 4 bf charities do. b) may have at one point been counsellors but there is no guarantee of how current their knowledge is because if they leave the organisation they are not therefore required to show to anyone that their knowledge is current. so, i would be a bit skeptical of someone who hasn't done any refresher courses in the last 10 yrs.

Would have thought so TooTicky - kind of like the extra-curricular activities we are all told to do at school/uni coz they look good on the CV

oh, i intend to do the counsellor training not just for my cv but because i want to help mums and can see that any counselling training and insight into the mind is a good skill to have as a teacher.

I would like to do it because I am passionate about bf. Was just wondering if it would be useful in other ways though

This is such a good idea. Great to support other mums and try to get more people in this country to BF. Think one of the main probs nowadays seems to be lack of support and advice from MWs/health visitors etc.

Peer supporters/support mothers/breastfriends and so on can use the training as evidence of prior learning, when applying for further/higher ed courses (very useful if you don't have the right no. of GCSEs or A levels) and I have known a number of PS's do this.

Speaking personally, my NCT bfc training (and work) really does help me in family life - helps me listen, or at least be aware when I am not listening and empathise.

The NCT training is HE diploma level, and that, I would hope, would be a plus on anyone's CV for employment or HE.

Good luck, whichever path you take, rainbow

I agree with tiktok about the NCT training (though I did the ANT training I think it is pretty similar) it has really helped me as a parent and in all sorts of parts of my life

Hmm... i am going See what the NCT, ABM and LLL have to offer in terms of training,and see which best suits me. I am sooo determined to do this. I have GCSE's, a levels & and BA in english but I have not since been able to find my niche in anything, i feel that with this i will be right in my element . am really excited!

Another question - when you have to work on the telephone taking calls from mothers- how does this work?