Welcome to LLLGB PCP
La Leche League’s Peer Counsellor Programme, the first such breastfeeding peer supporter programme in the world, was brought to Great Britain in 1990 with the first projects piloted in Nottingham. They have since spread throughout the UK.
A major independent evaluation has shown that the programme makes a measurable difference to the mothers' experiences of breastfeeding. It has raised breastfeeding initiation rates by up to 32 percentage points in the target areas, and has also been shown to increase breastfeeding duration rates (see Evaluation Summary).
A cascade approach
- Health professionals are trained by LLLGB’s PCP Team to become administrators of this highly successful programme.
- They are enabled to recruit, train and support mothers to become breastfeeding peer counsellors in their local areas.
- A comprehensive set of materials are provided to support each programme, including a detailed curriculum for training peer counsellors.
- Copies of THE BREASTFEEDING ANSWER BOOK and THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING, a wide range of leaflets and a starter library of breastfeeding books are provided, plus additional materials such as videos and reference books are available to borrow.
- With the help and support of La Leche League PCP Training Co-ordinators, each programme is developed to meet the needs of local women.
- The PCP Team provides on-going support to each programme for up to three years, via telephone consultation, support visits, and regional and national enrichment days.
Once trained, peer counsellors help change attitudes to breastfeeding in their areas, empowering themselves and those around them. Mothers empowered by the peer counselling course often to move on to employment or study. They become, for example, play workers, health care assistants, midwives … and some decide to train as La Leche League Leaders. They know though, that their greatest achievement, is having improved the lives of their children, through breastfeeding.