Q: How are Breastfeeding Supporters different to health professionals?
A: BF Supporters complement and do not replace the work of A: professionals. As we all know, health professionals are very busy people. A Breast Feeding Supporter is willing to sit with a mother for ‘as long as it takes’. She is another mother who lives down the road and whose children go to the same school. Mothers therefore tend to discuss different things with a BF Supporter than with a health professional.
Q: How do you recruit BF Supporters?
A:
It is vital to recruit very carefully and look for mothers with the right personal qualities. Someone who is judgmental would bring the whole programme into disrepute. Interested mothers attend an initial ‘no obligation’ six-session course that enables them to find out more and enables us to explore whether they might be suitable.
The recruitment process involves an informal but in depth interview, occupational health clearance, references and Criminal Record Bureau Clearance.
Being able to support and enable another mother is the most important skill of a good BF Supporter. We devote an entire introductory training session to using supporting and enabling skills and this is reinforced throughout ongoing group training sessions.
Q: What are the benefits to the Breastfeeding Supporters?
A: Key benefits have been more self-confidence and gaining employment as project workers. The programme has broken down barriers between professionals, the NCT and local mothers. The insights that BF Supporters can offer are unique and we have tremendous fun!
Q: How do you avoid conflicting advice?
A:
Both BF Supporters and health professionals attend regular breast-feeding update training. We have also developed a whole range of evidence-based cartoons in response to the issues that the BF Supporters have identified in their own communities. For example, many mothers were giving up breast-feeding because they thought the baby was feeding too frequently compared to bottle-fed babies. We developed a cartoon sheet called ‘Feeding often is normal in the early days’. The cartoons are used as a basis for sharing information with parents and are referred to throughout the comprehensive introductory and ongoing training programme. Conflicting advice by health professionals is still an issue, particularly mothers being advised to give up breast-feeding when they develop mastitis. This has been very frustrating.
Q: Why do you use cartoons?
A:
The cartoons are culturally relevant and convey key information with the minimum of text. This suits all mothers but is particularly useful for those who may not read very well. They are also user friendly and informal and are left with the mothers to keep.
Q: How is the programme managed?
A: It is very important that programmes such as these are properly resourced. For example, it is vital that a health visitor or midwife co-ordinator is able to give up caseload responsibilities. Co-ordinator duties include:
- Advertising for, recruiting and selecting volunteers
- Organizing recruitment courses an delivering introductory and ongoing training
- Vetting and allocating referrals to volunteers
- Providing resources, information, advice and support to the volunteers
- Ongoing informal monitoring and guidance [crucial to success]
- Record keeping and liaison with health professionals
- Delivering workshops
- Developing project promotional materials
- Ongoing evaluation
Q: What about safeguards and good practice?
A:
It is vital to safeguard standards of care to local families. Our Breastfeeding Supporter’s Charter clarifies boundaries and responsibilities such as:
- Confidentiality [each volunteer signs a confidentiality clause]
- When to contact a health professional [never giving advice about illness]
- Child protection [all volunteers have introductory and ongoing training]
- Supporting a mother who has decided to give up breast-feeding
Each BF Supporter has a handbook. This clarifies issues such as health and safety, insurance cover, who to contact in an emergency, and how to claim their expenses [child-care / use of car / use of phone]. A volunteer agreement clarifies the commitments of both parties.
Progress with referrals is monitored at regular one-to-one support sessions with each Breastfeeding Supporter plus occasional accompanied visits.
Q: Do you hire out breast pumps?
A: We have several electric breast pumps that can be loaned out free of charge to mothers living in Thurrock. Priority is given to parents living in certain areas and who have a baby in the neonatal intensive care unit or other special reason. We also have a limited number of hand pumps that we give to mothers to keep. Parents can make a voluntary donation towards the cost if they wish.
How can I find out more information? By attending one of our information sharing days [link into ‘national’ under ‘training’ button]. A ‘Step by Step Implementation Guide’ is also available for purchase publications page
