Peer supporters are mums who have breastfed for at least 6 months, have completed a GBSN peer supporters’ training course and provide support to other breastfeeding mums.
They agree to attend a group regularly for at least 1 year following their training.
Peer Supporters are volunteers.
The role of the Peer Supporter is to work with each mother within a person-centred model. This means not making any assumptions about how the mother wants her breastfeeding to be. The Peer Supporter will explore what the mother’s aims are and offer some suggestions that may be of help.
Peer supporters are the backbone of GBSN and without them the charity would not exist. GBSN is in essence “owned” by the Peer Supporters.
Training
Peer supporter training is open to all Gloucestershire mothers who have breastfed their own baby for at least six months.
If you would like to consider becoming a peer supporter, please drop into a group and speak to the Breastfeeding Counsellor.
Training is free-of-charge. It takes place once a week over a six-week period.
The training course covers the following areas:
- The role of a GBSN Breastfeeding Peer Supporter
- Enhancing your listening skills
- Working within the person-centred model
- The health outcomes and the value of breastfeeding
- Breastfeeding support in the context of UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative
- Expressing and storing breastmilk
- How to support challenges to breastfeeding
- How to support mothers who wish to mixed feed
For further information on training to be a GBSN Peer Supporter, please pop along to your local group to chat with the Breastfeeding Counsellor.