Become a Milk Mentors Peer Supporter
“In order to be a mentor, and an effective one, one must care. You must care. You don’t have to know how many square miles are in Idaho, you don’t need to know what is the chemical makeup of chemistry, or of blood or water. Know what you know and care about the person, care about what you know and care about the person you’re sharing with.”
-Maya Angelou
If you care about the breastfeeding dyad like Maya Angelou says, then that's half of the prerequisites sorted for becoming a Milk Mentor. The only other thing we ask is that you have breastfed/chestfed your child for at least six months. If you meet these prerequisites, then this is what the Milk Mentors programme has to offer you:
Each Milk Mentor will complete a comprehensive course that covers essential topics, including:
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Communication skills/confidentiality
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1-to-1 support/group settings
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Ethics/Initiatives/WHO Code
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Inclusivity
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Physiology & anatomy of the mother and baby
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Positioning & attachment
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What to expect of ages and stages
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How to recognise special circumstances and when to refer
Milk Mentors that have completed the course, will receive a DBS check and insurance to run groups and/or provide one-to-one chats with parents in the local area about what to expect and how to deal with their baby's normal behaviour.
There will be fortnightly supervision offered so that we can meet up in a group setting and debrief and discuss any questions or concerns that may have popped up in that time.
All Milk Mentors have access to continuing professional development (CPD) twice a year. This is an opportunity to explore relevant issues around breastfeeding and the topic of support a bit further.
If at any point you would like to revisit your initial training then you are welcome to re-attend the course to update your skills.
We feel that this gives all of our Milk Mentors a substantial opportunity to offer the best support to parents.
Attending a Course
Our courses take place over four full days; this is necessary to be able to cover the content needed to be able to become a peer supporter. We have tried to arrange the course at a time when most people often have help at home, on the weekends. If you need to/would like to bring your child(ren), please know that is okay. We are a family friendly organisation and would not ask you to separate from your child(ren) where this would cause distress. It is also fine to come without, as many parents also find that more suitable. If you plan to bring a child, you are responsible for bringing their food and entertainment for the time you are attending.
It is a very relaxed course. The discussion is informal and designed to engage all attendees to share and get involved. Although, they are long days, the feedback is that they're also very enjoyable days. If you can't attend all of one course, you are welcome to break it up over two courses, but you won't receive your certificate and be added to the group until you've completed the course.
If you'd like to book onto a Milk Mentors course, then please find the course below that you would like to attend, click to book and make your payment. There are two options for the course cost/fee.
Volunteer Rate
1) A parent that meets the requirements that would like to offer local volunteer breastfeeding support as part of Milk Mentors community project, or to increase their own breastfeeding knowledge with no intention of charging parents for breastfeeding support. =£150
Professional Rate
2) A professional that would like to add breastfeeding peer support to their list of services offered to their clients within their current paid role, including, doulas, midwives, health visitors, and who are responsible for their own insurance. =£180
Payment Plan
If we have discussed and agreed a payment plan then please select payment plan from the options. If you would like to pay on a payment plan, then select payment plan and let us know within 24 hours of making your booking. Note: your place will not be secured until an agreed deposit has been paid.
Early Bird Discount
We regularly run an early bird price, this cannot be used in conjunction with a payment plan.
Ask us About Our Course
If you have read through this page and still have some questions about attending our course, please send us a message so we can answer any questions you have. If you are wondering about other upcoming course dates, we post our courses as we get them in the diary, so if it's not listed above, we don't have one in the diary. You can also follow our socials for regular updates on upcoming courses and discounts on bookings.