Team to man stand at Mothercare during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week

Health Visitors and Children Centre Workers will be out and about during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week to offer support and advice to local women.

During the national awareness week which starts on Monday 19 May, the team will man an information stand at Mothercare at Clifton Moor, to offer advice and support to mothers about breastfeeding.

They will also be promoting their Nurture support groups which provide support to mums in areas where there was previously no access to support and low breastfeeding rates.

Information will also be available on the Healthy Child Programme Parenting Track giving parents-to-be and parents of under 5s access to up-to-date information to promote health and development in children.

Lynn Fitzharris, Health Visitor, explained: “We would like to thank Mothercare for inviting us to have a health promotion stand during breastfeeding awareness week.

“As well as supporting women our overall aim is to increase breastfeeding rates and improve the continuation of breastfeeding.

“The focus for our awareness raising this year is breastfeeding in public and breastfeeding and dads.

“Women can still be made to feel uncomfortable when breastfeeding away from the home and some members of the public can still view breastfeeding in public as offensive. This is despite the existence of legislation passed by the Government in 2010. Other countries for example Norway have fewer cultural barriers and more supportive environments for breastfeeding - 80% of hospitals in Norway are UNICEF Baby Friendly.*               

“This is where in York our Nurture Breastfeeding Support groups can offer a safe venue to gain confidence in breastfeeding in public before Mums then venture out to Cafés and Café bars in the York area.

“New Dads and partners can also have lots of questions about breastfeeding. Support from families encourages successful breastfeeding particularly in the vulnerable period after delivery."

Lynn continued: “Breastfeeding has been well researched over the years and research shows that it really does make a difference, not only while they are babies, or children, but throughout their lives.”

Breastfeeding has many positive attributes for the mother, baby and the environment. According to UNICEF increasing breastfeeding rates in the UK could save the NHS up to £40million.**        

The Nurture Groups take place at the following times:

Notes to Editors (Nurture)

• Nurture is part of the Trust’s overall strategy to promote, sustain and increase breastfeeding rates across the York.  Working in partnership the aim is to achieve “Baby Friendly” status for the city.
• Nurture was first established in Acomb in 2011 and following its success a second group was set up in spring 2013 in Clifton, with a third group planned to launch at the Avenues Children Centre in Heworth.  
• Nurture is now a joint initiative between the NHS, local Children’s Centres and Treasure Chest breastfeeding support group.
• Mums can attend with babies for help with breastfeeding problems including attachment and positioning, alongside advice on dealing with thrush and tongue tie.

*Community Practitioner May 2014.

**Renfrew et al, 2012a

20 May 2014