If you're looking for private breastfeeding help for a home visit, an Int'l Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) is the professional credential you need. For comparison, an IBCLC will have passed a rigorous exam, have a minimum of 1000 hours of clinical experience helping mothers and babies with breastfeeding, a minimum of 90 hours of advanced breastfeeding education, and need about 15 hours a year of continuing education -- on top of ALREADY being an accredited breastfeeding counsellor or health professional. An IBCLC will usually be pretty up-to-date! But unless your local hospital, Baby Cafe or clinic employs one, you will probably need to pay for her services. Do encourage your local NHS to upgrade their breastfeeding advisors to this level!
You can find a certified IBCLC through the following registries:
To find a local IBCLC:
http://www.lcgb.org/consultants_local.html
http://www.ilca.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3432
To check if someone is currently IBCLC registered:
http://europe.iblce.org/ibclc-registry
Breastfeeding counsellors from NCT, LLL, BfN and ABM will usually have done a couple of years of part-time training and have a very comprehensive knowledge of breastfeeding. There is normally not any charge for their help, but they are usually available at breastfeeding cafes or mums' groups and by phone rather than for home visits, as they are volunteers. In Nappy Valley you can also find them at Balham Breastfeeding Cafe (Mondays), La Leche League of Clapham/Balham (Tuesday), and Gooseberry Bush Cafe Wimbledon (Thursday).
NCT drop-ins:
http://www.nct.org.uk/branches/clapham/ ... al-support
LLL breastfeeding mother and baby group:
http://www.lllclapham.blogspot.co.uk/
and "LLL Clapham" on FB
Peer supporters/counsellors/buddies have usually done a part-time course of 6-12 weeks and have breastfed their own baby. They often help at breastfeeding drop-ins/cafes or sometimes in hospital. Their help is free to mothers; peer supporters are like an "informed friend" and would refer on any complex issues to an accredited breastfeeding counsellor or supervising health professional.
Midwives, GPs and Health Visitors will have varying amounts of breastfeeding education, at a minimum an afternoon's lecture in medical school (true!). If your local hospital or community is going Baby Friendly, staff will be required to have a 15-18 hour course and an annual update (maybe a half day). Some of these health professionals are so experienced with helping breastfeeding mothers (but may have limited time), but if your health professional's advice isn't resolving your problems, then consider speaking to a breastfeeding specialist such as an accredited breastfeeding counsellor or an IBCLC. Do encourage your local hospital and PCT/community to go Baby Friendly!
Here's a good description of the different roles on Milk Matters:
http://milkmatters.org.uk/2010/11/12/whos-helping-you/
I hope that this outlines some of the local options and clarifies what to look for and what to expect in qualified breastfeeding support.
