Got my certificate!

I've got my certificate for the peer supporter training this afternoon. Filled in a form so they can do a CRB check so I should hopefully be an official breastfeeding peer supporter quite soon!

Congratulations Emma.

Can I ask, what is the difference between a peer supporter and a breastfeeding counselor?

Not sure. As far as I know, the job description of a peer supporter is either someone who is employed and is based on a maternity unit or at a childrens centre and helps new mums get established with breastfeeding and is available afterwards for help and advice if she has problems - mastitis etc, and even for weaning advice. Or a volunteer who is called upon if someone near them needs advice. I'll be a volunteer, but a local support group has my details for any future vacancies so I might be employed at some point in the future. So I don't know how a counsellor would differ from that. Maybe queen caggy will know??!

It sounds simalar too a breastfeeding counsellor, although I know it takes over a year to qualfy as a BFing counsellor, how long did your training take Emma?

LOL - 10 weeks! So I probably don't know as much as a councellor!

I do like the idea of a peer supporter though. Would definatley be useful to new mums with someone there for support. Thing is, there is so much support out there, but people are not always aware of it. A bit like me first time round, it would have gone so much better if I had had support.

The idea of the peer supporter in my area is that when new mums are home with their new baby, a peer supporter will call round, like the midwife does in the first few days, to discuss breastfeeding. It will be an opt out service so even if they don't intend breastfeeding a peer supporter will still go. It's basically to let the mums know that if they need any help or advice there's someone there that they know they'll be able to talk to. I think it's a really good idea because I know a couple of people who have tried to breastfeed and have given up after a few days, for one reason or another. If I'd have known then what I know now I'm sure I could have helped them and they'd still be breastfeeding now.

Here here i assume you did the same course as me at Stanley Childrens Centre.There is not enough support for new mums and think if i had not got the support from my health visitor two week after having him i'd of given up.So think my knowledge now will help plenty of the boobie feeding mums.

Yes, it's Emma from Stanley! I'm so glad I did the course. It has been really useful for me and for knowing that I can now be useful to other people.

I wish i'd of known there was a breast feeding support group before the course as i probably wouldn't have had the mastisis if the midwife had of not told me i coudn't express till my milk was four week old and established.Where with doing the course would express whenever i felt i needed to.I think i've learnt will help lots of people.The support i had at first was terrible weren't till i saw my health visitor two week after i had him who was fantastic helped me greatly and told me about the the course and that my experience would be usefull.Again i think the little angels will be great as i was stitched badly and told not to go out for two week and saw lazy useless midwives apart from one they were different every time they came.Which the follow up should be by the one you've seen all the way through your pregnancy i think.