Helping others breastfeed

I read a letter in a mother and baby magazine recently expressing anger
that the uk government recommends breastfeeding 6 months, this was because
everytime she asked for help the midwifes just helped position the baby
and walked away. I was lucky, I had far more help than I needed, the
midwifes arranged for me to see a breastfeeding councellor when the only
problem was that my babies way of getting over the birth was to sleep for
a 6 hour stretch from when he was about 10 hours old and they started to
panic, when he woke up he fed no probs!

Anyway I'm starting to witter now, but it made me think that I could help,
does anyone know how I can volunteer? would I need to do a course? I'm
in the UK.

-----------
Anne Rogers

The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers have lots of UK-based 'Mother
Supporters'.

http://home.clara.net/abm/pages/index.html

"Mother Supporters support and encourage local mothers with straightforward
breastfeeding relationships, but do not offer counselling or detailed
breastfeeding information for solving problems (they can, however, put a
mum in touch with their nearest breastfeeding counsellor). Mother
Supporters complete a short home study course to highlight certain areas of
breastfeeding - this is also a 'taster' for full counsellor training, if you
later decide you would like to go on to do that, or you can just stop at the
'Supporter' stage. If you are not sure whether breastfeeding counselling is
for you, consider beginning by doing Mother Supporter training."

The Association also has lots of local groups that meet and that's a great
place to go and encourage new mums who will be struggling to learn bf with
their newborns!

Perhaps that would be worth looking into?

Love
ROSIE

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...
I read a letter in a mother and baby magazine recently expressing anger
that the uk government recommends breastfeeding 6 months, this was because
everytime she asked for help the midwifes just helped position the baby
and walked away. I was lucky, I had far more help than I needed, the
midwifes arranged for me to see a breastfeeding councellor when the only
problem was that my babies way of getting over the birth was to sleep for
a 6 hour stretch from when he was about 10 hours old and they started to
panic, when he woke up he fed no probs!

Anyway I'm starting to witter now, but it made me think that I could help,
does anyone know how I can volunteer? would I need to do a course? I'm
in the UK.

-----------
Anne Rogers

In my area (staffordshire), they have a new support group that they have
just starting up called Mum 2 Mum, that is to run along side the health
visitor support. The idea of the group is that quite often a new BF mother
needs just peer support, rather than professional support, to keep them
BFing. I am on the course that they run for potential volunteers at the
moment.

I don't know if this is a national initiative, or just a local one. I can
ask if you want?

Jacqui

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...
I read a letter in a mother and baby magazine recently expressing anger
that the uk government recommends breastfeeding 6 months, this was because
everytime she asked for help the midwifes just helped position the baby
and walked away. I was lucky, I had far more help than I needed, the
midwifes arranged for me to see a breastfeeding councellor when the only
problem was that my babies way of getting over the birth was to sleep for
a 6 hour stretch from when he was about 10 hours old and they started to
panic, when he woke up he fed no probs!

Anyway I'm starting to witter now, but it made me think that I could help,
does anyone know how I can volunteer? would I need to do a course? I'm
in the UK.

-----------
Anne Rogers

"Anne Rogers" wrote in message
...
I read a letter in a mother and baby magazine recently expressing anger
that the uk government recommends breastfeeding 6 months, this was because
everytime she asked for help the midwifes just helped position the baby
and walked away. I was lucky, I had far more help than I needed, the
midwifes arranged for me to see a breastfeeding councellor when the only
problem was that my babies way of getting over the birth was to sleep for
a 6 hour stretch from when he was about 10 hours old and they started to
panic, when he woke up he fed no probs!

Anyway I'm starting to witter now, but it made me think that I could help,
does anyone know how I can volunteer? would I need to do a course? I'm
in the UK.

-----------
Anne Rogers

Hi Anne

I'm a bit behind in my reading cos we're trying to get some decorating
finished in time for the front stair carpet being laid (was on schedule for
completion before his nibs decided to pop out early!!)
Anyway... yes NCT will train you to be a Breastfeeding Councillor. I'm
actually just waiting to hear if they can get me onto the training - like
you, I want to be able to help in some way. Perhaps that's the kind of
drive that having your own problems gives you :-)

--Alison

There is a la leche league in the uk

http://www.laleche.org.uk/