BMJ  2004;328:349 (7 February), doi:10.1136/bmj.328.7435.349-a

Letter

Volunteer counsellors for supporting breast feeding

Peer support is worth further investigation

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—We need not be too pessimistic about the potential of volunteer counsellors in supporting breastfeeding mothers. Graffy et al examined only a fairly limited intervention, which relied heavily on the new mother to suspect a breastfeeding problem and initiate contact with a counsellor.¹

A woman is more likely to initiate and maintain breast feeding if she has a relative or friend who has breast fed successfully,² and it is at least plausible that support provided by a trained volunteer peer counsellor might have a similar effect. However, many women, particularly those who are less motivated and less socially skilled, find it difficult to initiate contact with a comparative stranger and wait for help to be offered.³

Furthermore, many central questions about peer support have yet to be addressed in methodologically adequate studies.⁴ There is little objective information on the qualities of a successful volunteer supporter, the experience and . . . [Full text of this article]

Community Paediatric Unit, Bridgeview House, Londonderry BT47 1TG ccampbell@foylebv.n-i.nhs.uk

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