Barnardo's Breastfeeding Service in Bristol and South Gloucestershire – Transcript
(Lucy, Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
I'm Lucy Champion and I'm a Breastfeeding Supporter in Kingswood in South Gloucestershire.
There are lots of services available for parents expecting a baby such as Midwives, Health Visitors and Children's Centres.
In my area, Barnardo’s provides extra support. I visit mums before they've had their baby and I talk to them aboutbreastfeeding depending on what their needs are, and any concerns they have andthen I support them for three weeks after their babies have been born as well.
(Kat, mother)
Before I had Isaac, I was really keen to breastfeed. I think I was a bit naive and I thought it would just come really easily and I prepared so much for childbirth that I didn't really prepare much for what was beyond thatand so it was it was a bit of a surprise that I found it difficult in the beginning. Myson is just seven weeks at the moment – so things are picking up and yeah I’ve have beenlooking forward to breastfeeding all the way really.
(Lucy, Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
We are a big team of supporters working across Bristol and South Gloucestershire. Kat’s supporter is Emily.
(Kat, mother)
First of all Emily from Barnardo’s phoned me before he was born and then I text Emily to say he'd arrived safely.
Emily asked me how I was getting on- I was finding it difficult to latch him on so I was getting a bit worried.
She came round to my house and gave me lots of advice that really helped me get settled in a bit better.
(Emily, Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
Is he gaining weight nicely now?
(Kat, mother)
Yes. He is, thank you for all of your help.
(Emily, Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
It’s reassuring when you getting them weighed and they have puton a lot of weight – it’s like all your hardwork is paying off especially in the early days when it was rocky for you and you weren’t sure what was happening.
(Kat, mother)
It has been really reassuring just have Emily to watch me feed and to give me that confidence that it is going well.
(Lucy – Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
We all work really closely with our local midwives. In my area, Gilllet's all the mums know about us and our serviceand then I contact them if they want me to.
(Gill – HV)
Midwives, health visitors and the peer support breastfeeding service all work together. I think the midwives role is to plant the seed of breastfeeding. I just wondered if you could tell me a little bit about what, if I was to tell a breastfeeding mother what she could expect from a peer supporter?
(Lucy – Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
I am a mum myself who has breastfed myself and I have received training to help support other mums to reach their goals whatever they are whether it is a day, a week, a month or a year. I don’t give advice - just information and support.
(Gill – HV)
I think a lot of women do need that initial information to help them make decisions about breastfeeding.
(Lucy –Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
Yes. My colleague Sandra is visiting Chen who’s due in three weeks to listen to her thoughtsand concerns and offer information.
(Chen – Mother)
I’m quite excited, breastfeeding is a beautiful thing, it’s one of the most natural things you can do so it’s a privilege, hopefully if I can do it.
(Sandra – Barnardo’s Support supervisor)
If you’d like to take a seat, so how are you feeling at the moment?
(Chen- Mother)
Yes not too bad just really heavy!
(Sandra – Barnardo’s Support supervisor)
The breastfeeding service is a respectful and enabling service, we aim to speak to each mother individually.
What appeals to you most, breastfeeding or bottle-feeding?
(Chen- Mother)
Definitely breastfeeding.
(Sandra – Barnardo’s Support supervisor)
If she wants to breastfeed her baby we can address any anxieties and equip her with the skills that she is going to need to get breastfeeding off to a good start.
Have you got any concerns, anything that doesn’t appeal to you about breastfeeding?
(Chen- Mother)
I hear that sometimes you can get loads of different sores and things on your breasts that I’m quite concerned about.
(Sandra – Barnardo’s Support supervisor)
Right so you are worried that it might be painful, have you spoken to people who’ve had that experience?
(Chen- Mother)
No, I’ve seen on TV and also I remember that as a child when my mum was breastfeeding my siblings I was having to go and get warm flannels to place on her breast when they were really sore.
(Sandra – Barnardo’s Support supervisor)
Right ok, it’s quite common for mums to have some discomfort in the first week when they’re breastfeeding. It shouldn’t really be pain, basically if you’re very sore it means that the baby isn’t latched on properly, you call me and I could come around and see what’s happening. So on the one hand you really want the baby to have the goodness of your milk, that’s very important to you, on the other hand you are worried that it might be painful, she might not even be able to do it, and if she does do it, how will you know exactly how much milk she is getting. Is that right?
(Chen – Mother)
Yes exactly.
The antenatal has made me feel so much better, I feel really confident, I feel prepared for breastfeeding, just by being able to have my questions and concerns answered I feel much more confident that I’ve made the right decision.
(Lucy – Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
Many mums enjoy getting together at a breastfeeding group anyone can come however old their baby.
(Rachel - Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
It's a very socialinformal grou,p mums come along, there’s peer supporters like myself and it’s quite nice to draw on other mum’s experiences.
(Lucy – Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
Our groups are often led by volunteers who we’ve trained.
(Kara – mum and volunteer)
Lyla is 15 months now, we’ve been coming since she was born, we chat, we eat biscuits and Lyla has fun, I don’t know what I’d do without it really, it’s been great!
(Lucy – Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
The groups are held at local health and children’s centres. Rachel works with Jennie, a health visitor who set up the very first group in the area.
(Jennie – Health Visitor)
Bristol was the first city in the UK in March 2010 to achieve baby-friendly status and thebreastfeeding service is part of a wider set of initiatives. All staff are trained up to a certain standard which includes midwives, health visitors, children centre staff and peer supporters andwe're all empowering mothers with their choices rather than telling mothers what theyshould be doing.
(Lucy – Barnardo’s Peer Supporter)
I really enjoy being a breastfeeding supporter but especially being able to leave knowing that hopefully I have given them some confidence and some trust in themselves and their own bodies. That’s what I like the best.