Breastfeeding Awareness Week

This year’s focus worldwide is on the impact of infant feeding on the environment/climate change and the imperative to protect, promote and support breastfeeding for the health of the planet and its people.

Included this year is The Warm Chain campaign placing the mother-baby at the core.  It strives to link health, community and workplace sectors to provide a continuum of care during the first 1000 days of a baby’s life.

Keeping a baby warm after delivery is recognized as essential for their survival. Equally a warm chain of support from family, health professionals and your community will help a mum to breastfeed for as long as they want to.

Who is in your ‘warm chain’ of support for breastfeeding?

Who are the people who have supported you from your baby’s first breath to reaching your breastfeeding goals?

 

Breastival Festival

World Breastfeeding Week 2020 is going virtual and starts on Saturday 1 August.

Visit the site to see the packed programme of fun, support and learning – and it’s all free!

 

Breastfeeding Support Groups

Support groups were stood down due to the COVID-19 pandemic but virtual support has continued.  If you are pregnant, breastfeeding or expressing milk for your baby ask your midwife or health visitor about a zoom group near you.

Wednesdays:

1st and 3rd Wednesday: Surestart in Carrickfergus by zoom.  To join telephone 028 9335 9734.

Thursdays:

11.00 – 12.15pm:  NHSCT Trust-wide zoom support group.  To join text your name and email to Sinead Lynch on 077 9584 4927.

10.30 – 11.30am:  Gold Surestart in the Cookstown/Magherafelt area on zoom.  To join telephone Tina on 077 3811 9648.

1st and 3rd Thursday of the month: Surestart in Ballymena and Antrim on Microsoft Teams.  To join telephone Tracy Wilson on 028 2564 2883 or email.

Details on request:

Surestart Ballycastle on zoom: To join call 028 2073 0444

Surestart Coleraine on zoom: To join text or telephone Anne on 078 4103 7013 for the password.

 

Peer Support Volunteers

Do you feel you need breastfeeding support, particularly outside the times that health professionals are available?

Did you know that there are Breastfeeding Peer Support Volunteers in the Northern Trust?

Ask your health visitor or midwife or contact Jayne Calderwood on 028 9442 4000 to refer you to a Peer Support Volunteer. These are local mums who have breastfed their own children and who, with specialised training, encourage and support other new mums.

By sharing their own skills and experiences, peer mums can help breastfeeding mothers to overcome many problems with breastfeeding and encourage them to discuss any concerns they may have. This support is provided over the phone or by text messages.

 

Going back to work

Breastmilk is just as important to the older baby as it was to the newborn infant. Does your workplace have guidance or a policy in place to support you?

That warm chain of breastfeeding support should be available from your colleagues.
Why:
• Breast milk continues to protect babies from infections and allergies.
• This means fewer visits to the doctor and less time of work to care for sick children.
• A supportive working environment attracts potential employees.
Tips and information are available at Breastfeeding & Returning to Work and Guide for Employers.

 

Breastfeeding Welcome Here Scheme

Any time Any Place Any Where. Yes of course babies should be fed where and when they want but some mums do not have the confidence to feed out and about. For this reason NI businesses that are open to the public  are encouraged  to join the Breastfeeding Welcome Here Scheme.

Can you add to this list of breastfeeding friendly businesses in NI?

Do you have a business and would like to join the scheme?

31st July 2020