Supporting breastfeeding mums - a volunteers story
World Breastfeeding Week (1-7 August) celebrates breastfeeding mums in all their diversity, throughout their breastfeeding journeys, while showcasing the ways families, societies, communities and health workers are involved in the care of every breastfeeding mum.
Lucy, a CLCH breastfeeding support volunteer, shares her story of supporting mums in Wandsworth.
“The 12 weeks of training was amazing, and I was so shocked to hear it was free to do. The instructor was fantastic; warm, approachable, and so knowledgeable. There were around 12 women on the course and there was great camaraderie as we cheered each other on during assessments. I was so excited to get started - although apprehensive about whether I’d actually be able to help anyone.
“On a typical day, we speak to around 2 or 3 mums, and I’ve been grateful for a slower start to help me find my feet! Mums come in with all sorts of questions; how to help baby’s latch improve, how to express, how to support baby to take a bottle, returning to work concerns, tongue tie concerns and of course, there’s always questions about poo! As I don’t have a background in healthcare, there is always a health visitor or midwife onsite for questions outside of my remit to ensure we are best supporting our mums and providing the correct information.
“I’ve thoroughly enjoyed meeting the heath visitors on site; everyone is so welcoming and grateful for my help. Each of them also has a different style and background, so it’s great to learn from them and listen to their advice too. The mums (and babies) have been so grateful for the support I’ve been able to offer; whether it’s a light bulb moment of how to better position the baby onto the breast, or just offering a reassuring ear that they are doing great. One new mum called me a ‘blessing’ and I had to choke back the tears until I reached my car at the end of my shift!
“I would highly recommend other women get involved in this program. If you have the capacity to take on a few hours in the week, you could be the difference in a mum’s self-esteem and confidence and of course, her breastfeeding journey.”
If you’d like to volunteer like Lucy, you can sign up for our free training to support mums in breastfeeding. This amazing opportunity helps support new mothers in the community, offering free training from the Breastfeeding Network in Ealing, Merton, Richmond and Wandsworth. Find out more on the Better Impact website.
