What is a Peer Counselor? Peer counselors are mothers in the community with personal breastfeeding experience who provide information and support to other mothers.
	They become friends with the mothers they help
	Their primary roles are to provide support and encouragement
	They help answer questions and address common concerns
	They call on WIC designated breastfeeding experts for help for mothers with more difficult or complex breastfeeding problems
The power of a mother-to-mother connection can be very strong. We naturally connect with others who have had similar life experiences to our own:
*	Women are drawn to other women with whom they share life experiences, especially experiences related to childbirth and parenting
*	Most women remember what it felt like to be a new mother and how much they had to learn
*	Many women want a connection with other mothers to help them get ready for parenthood
*	Peer counselors are very valuable to mothers—they help mothers gain confidence in their mothering and breastfeeding abilities
Peer counselors have a number of duties, including:
*	Teaching classes on the benefits of breastfeeding and how to make breastfeeding a normal part of daily life
*	Providing information and promoting breastfeeding among peers
*	Addressing specific concerns of expectant and breastfeeding mothers, such as the fear of pain or dietary concerns
*	Counselors will be taught techniques for discussing breastfeeding with pregnant women without making them feel defensive or inadequate
*	Sharing motivational materials with pregnant clients when peer counseling is initiated
*	Counseling pregnant and breastfeeding mothers on a one-to-one basis
*	Helping new mothers to avoid or overcome common breastfeeding problems
*	Supporting women during a normal breastfeeding experience