Breastfeeding Peer Counselors help pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers on the WIC program. They are trained in answering common breastfeeding questions and often share their own personal breastfeeding experience expecting and new mothers.
A Breastfeeding Peer Counselor is a mother who has exclusively breastfed her child or children and has a passion in helping other mothers to reach their breastfeeding goal. Peer Counselors nurture and support mothers who want to breastfeeding and those with breastfeeding difficulties. They listen to the mother’s concerns and offer evidence based solutions. Counselors also refer mothers who need more help to the Lactation Consultant, and other health, nutrition and social programs.
Peer counselors are mothers who have personal experience with breastfeeding and are trained to provide basic breastfeeding information and support to other mothers with whom they share similar characteristics, such as language, race/ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. Peer counselors reinforce, promote and support breastfeeding recommendations in a socially and culturally acceptable manner.