Milk Matters have supported hundreds of mothers and noticed the same preventable problems arising time and again. We see mums receiving ineffective support, sometimes information that is frankly plain wrong – and we are passionate about helping mothers to succeed.
We recognise some mums would prefer private one to one sessions at home, or indepth information before delivery in a comfortable environment. We also realise that because of financial constraints – there are not many volunteer breastfeeding support workers able to offer this level of service, and that NHS care is rather a postcode lottery. We therefore plan to donate profits back to the voluntary sector; not only to the main breastfeeding organisations, but also to others striving to improve care for breastfeeding mothers.
We guarantee that all staff who work “on the ground” with mums as “breastfeeding specialists” will be mums or health professionals who have completed training as either a breastfeeding counsellor or IBCLC certified lactation consultant – and work comfortably with both breastfeeding and non breastfeeding families.
To become a counsellor the applicant must have breastfed their own baby for at least 6-9 months at the point of application for training (depending upon organisation). This includes exclusively breastfeeding until there was a nutritional need for other foods (i.e., about the middle of the first year for the healthy, full-term baby).
All telephone and email help will remain free of charge
A counsellor undergoes 2-3 years part time training which includes the following:
• Anatomy & Physiology
• Positioning & attachment
• Expressing & storage of expressed breastmilk
• Breastfeeding and returning to work
• Why and how employers can support employed breastfeeding mothers
• Twins & multiple births
• Weaning & night feeding/weaning
• Introduction of solid foods
• Breastfeeding after Cesarean Section
• Ethics & confidentiality
• Counselling & listening skills including boundaries and reflective practice
• Leading a support group
• Premature babies
• Relactation
• Baby blues & PND
• Newborn behaviour and development
• Feeding patterns
• Crying, colic, reflux & sleep
• Medications & milk
• Problems e.g. anterior and posterior tongue tie/thick labial frenum, insufficient weight gain, thrush, mastitis, nipple trauma, jaundice, high arched palate/bubble palate, inverted nipples, constant feeding, unsettled infant.
• Nutrition for the breastfeeding mother
• Political and social issues surrounding breastfeeding
• Social & Environmental impact of breastfeeding
• Breastfeeding an older baby/infant & weaning
• Breastfed baby and allergies/intolerances
• Health impact of breastfeeding & risks of artificial feeding practices and milk.
TO SEE HOW OUR TRAINING COMPARES CLICK HERE
Lactation Consultants (IBCLC) may be mothers who have trained as breastfeeding counsellors and served extensively as a counsellor or midwives/doctors who also have extensive experience supporting mothers – both must have undertaken further study, met the criteria to sit the IBCLC examination and passed it. This has to be retaken every 10 years.
Many IBCLCs are employed in the field of clinical lactation, work in hospitals, providing training to others i.e. midwives and other supporters and breastfeeding preparation classes.
