Breastfeeding Peer Support Service

 The overall aim of the peer support training is to generate a group of breastfeeding peer supporters who will be confident and competent to support antenatal and postnatal women in Hull to initiate and sustain breastfeeding for longer.

 

This project has been initiated due to the relatively low breastfeeding rates in Hull.It is recognised that breastfeeding has many health benefits to the baby and to the mother but a large proportion of women in Hull are choosing to feed their babyartificially.

 

It is expected that the breastfeeding peer supporters will assist the health staff in providing information to antenatal mothers in the benefits and management of breastfeeding so women can make a truly informed choice in the method of feeding their baby.

 

Postnatal women should all be able to access breastfeeding support if needed, for as long as they feel they need it. A peer supporter should offer support in the early days in positioning and attaching her baby successfully to the breast, the mother should also know how to contact her local peer supporter for further support in the community if needed.

 

It is hoped that each breastfeeding peer supporter will conclude the training feeling confident to help other mothers. They should all understand how to communicate effectively with mothers, family members and health professionals. They will receive training in the benefits and management of breastfeeding including the hormonal control of lactation, pattern of a breastfeed, how to position and attach a baby successfully to the breast using a hands off approach, how to demonstrate hand expression using a model breast, barriers to breastfeeding and how to overcome them and how to challenge the many myths and old wives tales associated with breastfeeding.

 

It is hoped that the support of breastfeeding peer supporters, alongside many other interventions and initiatives, including UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Accreditation, the breastfeeding rates will go up significantly in forthcoming years.