Seven-month fixed-term post in the Infant Feeding team within Women's Care at Medway NHS Foundation Trust, funded through Medway Council's Start for Life programme. The work gives family-centred feeding support from pregnancy to six weeks after birth, through antenatal education, clinics, hospital and home visits. Based mainly on the postnatal ward and in the community, the post-holder supports families with complex feeding needs. A UNICEF BFI management or peer counsellor qualification, or equivalent breastfeeding training, is required.
What the job involves
- Deliver family-centred infant feeding support from pregnancy to six weeks postnatally
- Support mothers with their chosen feeding method, including specialist help to start and sustain breastfeeding
- Support mothers with complex feeding needs, such as multiple births, NICU babies and preterm babies
- Identify feeding problems and refer to multidisciplinary services such as specialist feeding clinics, health visiting and neonatal doctors
- Provide antenatal and postnatal education in small and large groups, face to face and virtually
- Provide face to face and telephone feeding support in hospital and community settings
- Support or facilitate breastfeeding support groups
- Help the Infant Feeding Lead and Support Midwife give family-centred support and maintain UNICEF standards across the Trust
- Support mothers to build relationships and attachment with their babies in the antenatal and postnatal periods
- Promote the service and the benefits of breastfeeding to antenatal women and their families
- Collect data, statistics and feedback for audit and service improvement
- Work to Medway NHS Foundation Trust infant feeding guidelines and policies
Qualifications
- UNICEF BFI Management Course, Peer Counsellor course or equivalent higher breastfeeding training
Skills & knowledge
- Awareness or experience of the UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative
- Knowledge of local, national and global infant feeding strategies
- Understanding of how peer support programmes work and why they work
- Good understanding of breast anatomy, breastfeeding mechanics and barriers to feeding
- Understanding of how to support parents to safely and responsively formula feed
- Good written and spoken English
Other
- Excellent verbal and written communication
- Good time management
- Able to prioritise and triage competing demands
- Works well within the MDT and understands the limits of own role
- Confident advocate for families
What’s offered
- Choice of coverage and supplemental benefits for staff and their families
- Flexible working opportunities across the Trust
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Contact Details:
The Methodist Church in Britain Recruitment Team
