Could you help new mums with breastfeeding and babyfeeding? Are you looking for a new vocation to fit in with family life? If you answered yes to the above, then you could help support new mums and start a career with the National Childbirth Trust.

As part of a targeted recruitment drive, the NCT charity is looking for women in the Oxford area to train as NCT breastfeeding counsellors.

By training more counsellors, the NCT can reach out to more mums throughout the UK.

Breastfeeding counsellors offer mother-to-mother support, information and counselling. Breastfeeding isn't always easy and many mums are taken by surprise if they run into difficulties.

Counsellors help women to overcome concerns, build up their confidence and help them to feel comfortable with breastfeeding.

All training for breastfeeding counsellors is fully subsidised through fundraising and grants and mums must have breastfed for six months themselves.

Studying takes two to three years, part-time via a local tutor, and students graduate with a diploma from the University of Bedfordshire.

Gail Werkmeister, president of the NCT, said: “Breastfeeding counselling is extremely rewarding — counsellors listen to and support any mum, whatever her babyfeeding choices.

“This is an ideal option as a first or second career for mums looking to work after having children — it fits easily around family life. So if you feel passionately about helping other mums give their babies the best start, give us a call today."

After training, breastfeeding counsellors will be qualified to provide breastfeeding support in their local area through NCT classes and via the NCT breastfeeding helpline. Counsellor posts are voluntary, however class and helpline work is paid.

NCT member Claire Hough said: “I enjoyed breastfeeding my own children, got involved with the local breastfeeding support group and found it very rewarding.

“I was particularly inspired by two breastfeeding counsellors in the NCT branch. When one moved away I decided to move from making the teas at the support group and start training.

I do my breastfeeding counselling during the day while my children are at school. As the course is flexible, other people with younger children may prefer to do it the other way round, which is also possible.”

The NCT is well-known for providing specialist workers to run antenatal and postnatal classes, and breastfeeding support. Since the NCT’s inception in 1956, the charity has trained thousands of students to support and prepare parents for pregnancy, labour and life with a baby.

Training posts require students to be NCT members. NCT membership is available for only £39 per year, £29 for subsequent years. Reduced membership of £2 per year is available for those in receipt of benefits. The NCT is the UK’s leading charity dealing with pregnancy, birth and early parenthood.

■ If you want to train as a breastfeeding counsellor, call the NCT on 0844 243 6000 for an enquiry pack, or visit the website: www.nct.org.uk/newdirections

What do NCT breastfeeding counsellors do?

As a breastfeeding counsellor, you will help women to overcome concerns, whether large or small, and to feel comfortable with breastfeeding.

You will be there to listen to any mother who wants to contact you and to share her problems, offering mother-to-mother support, information and counselling, where appropriate. It is your role to help build a breastfeeding mother’s confidence in her own ability to cope and to help her to make her own decisions with the benefit of evidence-based information.

Breastfeeding counsellors are all mothers who have breastfed their babies. You know how worthwhile and enjoyable breastfeeding can be, but you are also aware of the help and support that many new mothers need.