Breast Feeding

The natural way to help your baby grow - breastfeeding every day makes a difference to your baby. Breastfeeding helps protect babies against gastrointestinal, chest, ear and urine infections and they are less likely to become obese. Breast milk is the best source of nutrition for babies and gives them the best start in life. And it contains all the nutrients that a baby needs up until 6 months. Breastfed babies do not need any additional fluids.
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Jump to: Links to resources - Recent news - Local contacts - Local Groups and Support for Breastfeeding Mums - Useful documents - Worcestershire Welcomes Breastfeeding baby - Public Health Breastfeeding campaign

Mums who have support when breastfeeding are more likely to continue than those who don't. This support could be from a health professional, breastfeeding counsellor, peer supporter or local support group, but emotional support from family and friends is important too.

The Department of Health recommends exlusive breastfeeding up to the age of six months and continued alongside solid food after six months. (Ideally up to 2 years and beyond). Breastfeeding will continue to provide optimum nutrition to weaning infants.
Breastfeeding impacts positively on both mothers and babies health. In the long term there is evidence that breastfeeding impacts positively on blood pressure, cholesterol, type 2 diabetes and cognitive development for baby. It also protects against breast and ovarian cancer, hip fractures and post natal weight loss for mothers.

Visit our Worcestershire Welcomes Breastfeeding page.

Click here for the list of Worcestershire Welcomes Breastfeeding approved businesses.

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Local Groups and Support for Breastfeeding Mums

Worcester

Saffron Children's Centre Stanley Road "Breast Friends" meet Thursdays 1-2.30

Malvern

Baby Latte Evergreen Children's Centre Thursdays 11.15 - 12.45

Evesham

Evesham Breastfeeding Mothers Baptist Church Cowl Street Fridays 12 - 2

Bromsgrove

Bosom Buddies at Pear Tree Children's Centre Broad Street Sidemoor, Bromsgrove meet Wednesdays 10.30 - 12.30

Redditch

Bosom Buddies meet at Moons Moat First School, Cleeve Close, Churchill, Redditch

Mondays 10.30 - 12.30.

Kidderminster

Kidderminster Health Centre Bromsgrove Street Thursdays 1 - 3

Wyre Forest Best Buddies are local mums who can provide a friendly ear to mums in Wyre Forest if you would like to contact a Buddy click here for leaflet for more information or ring 07972464750.

Please contact your Health Visitor or Midwife for more details or ring the Family Information Service on 01905 790560.

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Local Contacts

Dawn Nutton NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor (Covering Evesham and Pershore) Telephone 01386 870629	Anthea Griffiths Children's Centre Midwife & Lactation Consultant Telephone: 07979 645191
Penny Turton Infant Feeding Advisor (Worcester Royal Hospital) Telephone: 01905 760507	Caroline Payne Infant Feeding Advisor (Alexandra Hospital, Redditch) Telephone: 07879 440264
Mair Sherlicker NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor (Covering Malvern, Worcester, Droitwich) Telephone: 01684 561958	Jane Watson NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor (Covering Evesham and Pershore) Telephone: 01386 765798
Mary Hare NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor (Covering Bromsgrove) Telephone: 01527 577477 Contact your Health Visitors and Midwives for details of local Peer Support.

Information and support is available in all Worcestershire Children's Centres .

Children's centres in Worcestershire

Sure Start Children's Centres in Worcestershire
There are 29 Sure Start children's centres across Worcestershire, with more being built by 2010. To find your local children's centre follow this link:
http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/childrenscentres

For more information on children's centres and what they can offer click here .

NHS Choices
Follow this link to the breastfeeding advice on the NHS Choices website.

Recent News

Start 4 Life

Start4Life is a new campaign developed by the Change4Life team, and was launched to healthcare professionals.

The Start4Life campaign, will support front line staff to deliver the Healthy Child Programme, supporting pregnant women and parents of babies to establish good feeding and activity habits for their babies to help them reduce the risk of becoming obese in later life.

The campaign, which has been developed in consultation with stakeholders and academics, centres around six top tip topics for families, focusing on breastfeeding, active play and introducing of solid foods when the baby is ready.

Start4Life's six top tip topics are:

Mum's milk - breast milk is best for both mum and baby, boosting kids' immune systems and reducing their risk of obesity;
Every day counts - supporting mums to start breastfeeding and continue for the first six months of their baby's life;
No rush to mush - helping to avoid stomach upsets, allergies and maximising the benefits of breastfeeding by introducing of solid foods when the baby is ready;
Taste4Life - ideas for introducing a variety of different foods to young children;
Sweet as they are - helpful hints on how to avoid sugary foods and hidden sugars when introducing babies to solid food; and
Baby moves - information on how lively, active play can help babies develop brain and muscle power.

From today, healthcare professionals can access campaign materials including posters, leaflets, and question and answers sheets at the campaign's website, below, to support their work.

http://www.nhs.uk/start4life/Pages/welcome-to-start4life.aspx

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Baby Life Check

The NHS have recently launched the Baby Life Check. This is a tool that parents and carers can use if they have a baby aged between 5 - 8 months.

It asks parents and carers to fill out an on- line questionnaire and covers subjects such as:

Development
Play
Safety
Feeding
Sleep
Parenting

On completion of the questionnaire parents are provided with feedback. They can print off the feedback and discuss it with their Health Care Professional or someone they can trust, if they wish.

If you would like to have a go then go to www.nhs.uk/babylifecheck/. There is also a teen life check and a mid-years one available.

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Resources

Breastfeeding NHS UK
This website provides information for parents and professionals.
http://www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk/

La Leche League
Provides mother to mother breastfeeding support
www.laleche.org.uk

National Childbirth Trust
Telephone: 0300 330 0770
http://www.nct.org.uk/

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers Counselling Helpline
Provides support and information for parents and healthcare professionals.
Telephone: 0870 401 7711

Bliss Special Care Baby Charity
For babies born too soon, too small, too sick.
Family Support Helpline.
Telephone 0500 618140
http://www.bliss.org.uk/

The Breastfeeding Network Website
Support and information for breastfeeding mothers.
Telephone: 0300 1000212
http://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/

The Family Information Service
An information service providing families with up-to-date information about local services, childcare provision, actitivies and early years education.
Telephone 01905 790560

The Seven Point Plan for sustaining breastfeeding in the Community
Best practice guidance for initiating and sustaining breastfeeding.
http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/page.asp?page=219

The International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes
A best practice guide for supporting breastfeeding.
http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/page.asp?page=92

The Baby Friendly Initiative UNICEF UK
Best practice guidance for healthcare facilities.
http://www.babyfriendly.org.uk/

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Useful Documents

Last updated on 30 April 2012