Pregnancy & Breastfeeding Support

The Best Start Team work with parents and families in Newcastle. We provide breastfeeding and antenatal information and support. Our Best Start volunteers are an incredibly important part of what we do. They offer practical and emotional support through pregnancy and the breastfeeding journey. All are trained by our skilled and experienced team to enable them to offer this help. 

This role includes the following

• to promote good attitudes to pregnancy and parenting in a friendly and sensitive manner
• to promote breastfeeding in a friendly and sensitive manner
• to report feedback, e.g. reporting concerns to the named safeguarding lead
• to maintain the confidentiality of individuals unless safeguarding issues arise
• to communicate with your organisation and health professionals

You also need:

• to be enthusiastic about supporting families in the antenatal period
• to be enthusiastic about breastfeeding and breastfeeding support
• to adhere to the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative Standards
• to uphold the code of marketing of infant milks in connection with these standards
• to be caring and none judgemental
• to be able to work well as part of a team
• to be a good communicator
• to be accepting and understanding towards people from different social, religious, ethical and cultural backgrounds
• to be reliable and adaptable

Skills

• an individual who has a positive attitude to supporting families
• a parent who has a breastfeeding experience and who has a positive attitude to breastfeeding
• willing to take part in our volunteer training course
• willing to complete a DBS check
• willing to attend safeguarding training
• willing to attend regular peer support networking/update sessions
• willing to commit to ongoing progression training on a regular basis