Breast Feeding Peer Counselor

Job Description

Title:
Full-Time Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

FLSA Category:
Non-Exempt

Reports To: WIC Director

Date Issued:
April 2005

Date Revised:
February 2006, June 2019, May 2024, August 2024

The WIC Full-Time Breastfeeding Peer Counselor (BFPC) is a paraprofessional support person who will be responsible for providing individual in-person and telephone counseling, along with leading group educational classes about breastfeeding for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

• Demonstrates excellent communication and interpersonal skills to carry out breastfeeding support and services in the clinic in an efficient manner.
• Counsels WIC pregnant and breastfeeding mothers about the benefits of breastfeeding, proper positioning and other basic breastfeeding information either by telephone, in-person at clinical appointments, during group classes and/or support groups at scheduled intervals as per WIC policy and as determined.
• Provides basic breastfeeding information and support to pregnant and breastfeeding women utilizing approved WIC materials. Provides assistance in facilitating successful breastfeeding and help in handling and preventing common breastfeeding problems.
• Follows-up with both pregnant and breastfeeding women at scheduled intervals as per WIC policy and as determined.
• Keeps accurate records of all contacts made to WIC participants using the MD WOW computer system.
• Offers breast pumps to breastfeeding participants who are returning to work or school and discusses collection and storage.
• Accurately and appropriately, documents breast pumps and other breastfeeding aids upon issuance.
• Follows-up with WIC participants to retrieve loaner breast pumps and accurately and appropriately document information in the MD WOW computer system.
• Makes the clinic breastfeeding friendly by creating bulletin boards with breastfeeding information/pictures and having breastfeeding materials available for the participants.
• When outside of scope of practice or when guidance is needed WIC BFPC will provide referral for infant problems that may include but are not limited to - breastfeeding or medical issues that deal with a sick, premature, failure to gain weight, nutrition, social, medical, failure to thrive, or neurology impairments infant or child. Provides referrals for conditions affecting the mother, such an alcohol or drugs, nutritional, domestic violence, emotional, physical, and social, medication use or illness.
• Assists in the promotion of breastfeeding through special projects and duties as assigned.
• Participates in continuing education related to lactation.
• Adheres to the State of Maryland WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program policies and procedures.
• Participates in outreach activities as assigned.
• Participates in team/staff meetings; attends in-service meetings and applicable workshops.
• Willing to work closely with Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Coordinator with duties assigned by the WIC Director.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

• Minimum of one-year experience counseling breastfeeding women.
• High school diploma or GED.
• Attend State of Maryland Breastfeeding Peer Counselor training or orientation programs.
• Must have personally breastfed for 6 months or more.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Bilingual (Spanish speaking) preferred but not required.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Proficient in Windows Microsoft Office Suite.

• Internal:
  Superior customer service skills required. This includes tact working with patients, families, and visitors.
• Works in a team environment with the other clinical staff.
• External:
  Excellent verbal communication skills when greeting participants as well as when answering and returning telephone calls.

• Typical medical office setting.
• Will require driving between health centers.
• Assignments to particular sites, schedules and hours can be changed at any time with reasonable notice and may include weekend hours.

• Prolonged sitting, primarily at a computer terminal.
• Occasional bending, stooping and stretching.
• Requires eye-hand coordination and manual dexterity sufficient to operate a computer, telephone, calculator, and other office equipment.
• Requires normal range of hearing and eyesight to record, prepare, and communicate in writing, in person and by phone.
• Requires occasional lifting up to 25 pounds.

Quality, Respect, Teamwork, Equity, Integrity, Passion, Love

• This position requires compliance with Greater Baden Medical Services (Health Center) compliance standards, including its Standards of Conduct, Compliance Program, and policies and procedures. Such compliance will be an element considered as part of the Breast Feeding Peer Counselor’s regular performance evaluation.
• Must be able to travel between Greater Baden Medical Services locations as required.