Breastfeeding awareness rewarded

UNICEF has awarded the local NHS and Sure Start centres for their commitment to promoting breastfeeding in the borough; in the same week as breastfeeding awareness week.

NHS Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale has been working with Rochdale Borough Sure Start Children’s Centres and Pennine Acute Hospitals Trust to establish a baby friendly borough for breastfeeding. UNICEF has recognised this commitment by awarding the organisations with the Baby Friendly Certificate of Commitment.

The accolade recognises that the organisations have developed a robust breastfeeding policy and have a plan in place to further develop best practice in regard to infant feeding.
Breastfeeding provides a number of health benefits to babies and local midwives, health visitors, GP’s, community health staff, nursery nurses and children’s centre staff are committed to working with families to help them breastfeed their babies successfully.

Val Rimmer, infant feeding co-ordinator for the borough, said: “It is recognised that breastfed babies have fewer incidences of tummy upset, respiratory and ear infections, they are less likely to become obese in both childhood through to adulthood, leading to better protection from diseases associated with obesity including heart disease and diabetes. Mothers who breastfeed their babies are less likely to develop breast cancer, ovarian cancer and osteoporosis and also have less chance of developing postnatal depression. That is why is it so important for us to work with mothers to make breastfeeding as stress free as possible.”

The Baby Friendly Initiative works with the health-care system to ensure a high standard of care for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers and babies. It provides support for health-care organisations that are seeking to implement best practice, and offers an assessment and accreditation process that recognises those that have achieved the required standard.