As the leading provider of healthcare messaging for WIC, Teletask has worked with peer counseling programs across 20+ states to develop best practices for leveraging communication technology to support breastfeeding participants. This guide focuses on how to effectively use SMS, voice, and email platforms to enhance peer counselor reach, responsiveness, and impact.
Why Messaging Platforms Matter for Peer Counseling
Approximately 75% of Millennial and Gen Z Americans prefer to text rather than call. For peer counseling programs, this preference creates an opportunity: text-based communication allows counselors to provide support asynchronously, respond to participants during critical moments, and maintain consistent contact without requiring constant phone availability.
The key is meeting participants where they are—on their mobile devices, through their preferred communication channel.
Setting Up Your Messaging Workflow
Enable Two-Way Texting from Familiar Numbers
Participants should be able to text the clinic or agency phone number they already know—no app downloads or new numbers to remember. This removes barriers to communication and builds on existing trust.
Best practices:
Use your existing clinic phone numbers for texting
Set up auto-responses acknowledging receipt of messages
Create routing rules to direct texts to the appropriate peer counselor or team
Enable easy chat transfer when cases need escalation to DBEs or nutritionists
Organize Counselor Access and Permissions
Structure your platform access to match your organizational hierarchy:
State/agency administrators: Oversee all communications, create templates, manage campaigns
Peer counselor leads: Monitor team activity, review message templates, access reporting
Individual peer counselors: View and respond to their assigned participants only
DBEs/IBCLCs: Receive escalated cases with full conversation history
Granular permissions ensure participant confidentiality while enabling appropriate oversight.
Creating Effective Automated Messaging Campaigns
Trigger-Based Educational Messages
Set up automated campaigns triggered by participant data:
Prenatal campaigns (triggered by estimated due date):
8 weeks before EDD: Benefits of breastfeeding
4 weeks before EDD: Preparing your support network
2 weeks before EDD: Early breastfeeding basics
1 week before EDD: Reminder about peer counselor availability
Postpartum campaigns (triggered by baby's birth date):
Day 2: Congratulations message + immediate support availability
Week 1: Latch troubleshooting tips
Week 2: Supply concerns and reassurance
Week 4: Growth spurts and cluster feeding
Week 8: Returning to work and pumping
Monthly messages continuing through the first year
Best practices for automated messages:
Keep messages brief (160 characters or 1-2 sentences)
Include a call-to-action: "Text back with questions"
Personalize with participant names when possible
Test messages at different times to find optimal send times
Build a Message Library
Create pre-approved message templates for common scenarios:
Appointment reminders with date, time, and what to bring
Non-judgmental missed appointment follow-ups
Common questions: sore nipples, low supply concerns, growth spurts
Encouragement messages celebrating milestones
Resource referrals to WIC benefits, lactation consultants, support groups
Emergency protocols: when to seek immediate medical attention
Organize templates by category and make them searchable so counselors can quickly find appropriate responses.
Best Practices for Two-Way Texting with Participants
Responding to Participant Messages
Response time guidelines:
Acknowledge receipt within 1 hour during business hours
Provide substantive responses within 2-4 hours when possible
Set clear expectations about after-hours support
Use scheduled messages for non-urgent responses outside business hours
Conversation best practices:
Start with empathy: "That sounds really frustrating" or "You're doing great"
Ask clarifying questions before giving advice
Use simple, conversational language
Break complex instructions into numbered steps
Confirm understanding: "Does that make sense?"
Know When to Escalate
Set clear guidelines for when peer counselors should escalate to DBEs:
Medical concerns (fever, infection signs, baby weight loss)
Anatomical issues beyond counselor scope
Maternal mental health concerns
Situations outside counselor training or comfort level
Use internal notes to flag conversations, transfer chats with full history to DBEs, and document escalations for program tracking.
Leveraging Advanced Features
Multi-Language Support
Enable auto-translation to communicate across 100+ languages:
Set participant language preferences in profiles
Messages automatically translate in both directions
Have bilingual staff review template translations before automation
Secure Document and Media Sharing
Use platform features for sharing educational images (proper latch photos, positioning guides), video demonstrations (hand expression, pump assembly), and secure forms. Participants can also share photos for assessment when appropriate.
Group Messaging for Support Sessions
Create group text threads for virtual breastfeeding support groups, cohorts with similar due dates, or specialized support (fathers, grandmothers). Establish ground rules, moderate actively, and archive groups after 3-6 months to keep them manageable.
Tracking and Improving Your Program
Monitor Key Metrics
Track platform analytics to evaluate effectiveness:
Engagement metrics:
Message delivery and participant response rates
Average response time by counselor
Messages per participant
Opt-out rates
Outcome metrics:
Appointment attendance for participants who receive reminders
Breastfeeding duration by level of messaging engagement
Participant satisfaction scores
Optimize Based on Data
Use insights to improve your program:
Test different message send times
A/B test message wording for key campaigns
Identify which automated messages get the most responses
Recognize high-performing counselors and share their techniques
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
Over-automation: Balance automated messages with personal touch
Inconsistent tone: Ensure all counselors maintain a supportive, non-judgmental, peer-level tone
Slow response times: Set realistic expectations and use auto-responses
Ignoring data privacy: Always maintain HIPAA compliance and train staff on secure messaging
Real-World Success
WIC programs using messaging platforms for peer counseling report:
6% higher benefit redemption rates
Improved appointment attendance
Increased staff efficiency (counselors supporting more participants)
Extended breastfeeding duration
Oregon WIC uses automated educational texting based on EDD/birthdate along with peer counselor texting modules. Massachusetts WIC reports significant staff efficiency improvements through automation, allowing counselors to focus more on complex support needs.
Conclusion
Communication technology enables peer counselors to provide more timely, accessible, and consistent support to breastfeeding participants. By meeting families through their preferred channel—text messaging—and leveraging automation for routine touchpoints, counselors can focus their personal attention where it matters most: supporting participants through challenges and celebrating their successes.
Teletask provides purpose-built tools for WIC peer counseling programs including two-way texting, automated campaigns, multilingual support, secure document sharing, and comprehensive analytics. Contact us at 888-484-9911 or email sales@teletask.com to learn how to enhance your peer counseling program with modern communication tools.