Breastfeeding News Welcome to the news section of our breastfeeding pages, here you will find the very latest breastfeeding news.
Can you knit a breast for us? Knitted breasts are used by midwives, health visitors and breastfeeding volunteers as a tool to help mums learn more about positioning and attachment.    If you're good at knitting and think you can help donate a  knitted breast we would be very grateful - click here for the' knit a breast ' pattern   Once you have knitted your breast you can send them to: Helen Drummond Breastfeeding Project Officer Warrington and Halton NHS Foundation Trust Hospital Lovely Lane Warrington WA5 1QG Or you can hand them in to any Local Children Centre telling them the knitted breasts are for the Infant Feeding Team and ask them to pass to Avril Smith or Sarah McCormack, Infant Feeding Coordinators. Bru Coffee Morning Success Health professionals from, Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust, Warrington and Halton Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and the ‘Bosom Buddy’ Peer Supporters held a Breastfeeding Coffee morning event at Bru Café Station on Riverside Retail Park on Wednesday 29th Feb with 26 mums and dads attended Previous events were held in June for Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2011 and February 2012. Due to the success of these, we will have further events at Bru Café; keep checking web pages for new dates. This gives the opportunity for mothers to meet up,  be offered help and advice and to help them to feel more comfortable about breastfeeding in public. For the full details please click here. New Breastfeeding infomation pages added to Our Site Click on the links below to access our new information pages: Why Breastfeed? Am I Breastfeeding Correctly? Information for Dads What to Expect in the First Few Days Returning to Work Medication and Breastmilk Breastfeeding & Safe Sleeping Guidance for Bottle Feeding Breastfeeding Myths Breastfeeding Premature Babies Storing and Expressing Breastmilk Healthy Start – free milk, fruit, vegetables and vitamins! Healthy Start is here to help families get the best start to life. Families who are eligible get £3.10 a week for themselves and their children. The vouchers can be spent on milk, vegetables, fruit and infant formula milk at local shops and supermarkets, plus they will get coupons for FREE vitamins too. To find the nearest participating shop go to www.healthystart.nhs.uk or call the Healthy Start helpline on 0845 607 6823. Vitamin coupons can be exchanged at the following clinics only: Grappenhall Clinic Penketh Clinic Birchwood Health Services – Spencer House Garven Place Clinic

New Trust on target for prestigious award

It's official, Warrington is well on its way to becoming breastfeeding friendly thanks to Bridgewater Community Healthcare NHS Trust success in the prestigious UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative.

The Baby Friendly Initiative recognises high standards of care for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers and babies. Assessors spent two days in Warrington with health staff reviewing how local mums are supported and advised. Bridgewater achieved 100% in two thirds of the criteria.

Avril Smith, Warrington’s Infant Feeding Coordinator said:

Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2011 - 20th-25th June

The Breastfeeding Team are held a coffee morning at the Bru Cafe on Riverside retail park in Warrington on 22nd June. Healthcare professionals and our bosom buddies peer support were  there to offer support and answer any questions. There was also breastfeeding advice stands at Mothercare throughout the awareness week.

This year’s event was the best to date with over 40 mums, dads, grandparents and babies in attendance. We were also joined by XFM DJ and father of five, Clint Boon and Charlie Boon.

XFM DJ Clint Boon with his wife and his Charile and other attendees at Bru Station, Riverside Retail Park.

A group photo of all the attendees with the Bosom Buddies.

Natalie, Joe and baby Jacob with Warrington Wolves players Chris Reilly and Ben Harrison and members of staff.

Some of the families attending Bru Station at Riverside Retail Park.

Bosom Buddy Tracey Pester with Chris Reilly and Ben Harrison.

The Royal Colleague of Paediatrics and Child Health strongly encourages mothers to breastfeed

The RCPCH supports and recommends the WHO definition of ‘exclusive’ breastfeeding for the first 6 months of a baby’s life.  The report goes on to say  that if all UK infants were exclusively breastfed for six months, admissions to hospital due to diarrhoea would be halved and those due to respiratory infections would fall by a quarter.

The RCPCH calls for a collaborative, multidisciplinary approach involving families and healthcare professionals to increase both the ignition and continuation of breastfeeding

With regard to policy and practice to support breastfeeding The RCPCH supports the Baby Friendly Initiative, a framework drawn up by UNICEF in 1992 to support best practice in promoting and encouraging breastfeeding in maternity units and community health settings.

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