Businesses sign up to make Rochdale breastfeeding friendly

L-R Shirley Waller, Health Interventions Manager at Link4Life, Val Rimmer, Infant Feeding Co-ordinator for Rochdale at Pennine Care, Sarah Manning, Peer Support Volunteer with daughter Rosa (20 months) and Danielle Jackson, Middleton Health Visitor with Pennine Care

Mums in Rochdale can be assured of a warm welcome at local venues and businesses who have signed up to the Breastfeeding Welcome scheme.

Health visitors from Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with Rochdale Borough Council and The Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, are encouraging businesses to show their support for new mums by signing up to the scheme ahead of Breastfeeding Awareness Week which runs from June 20 to 28.

Rochdale Council buildings, GP practices and Link4Life venues have already joined the scheme and received support and training from health visitors to ensure they can accommodate the needs of mums and babies.

Businesses that have recently joined the scheme include Littleborough Group GP Practice and Middleton Arena.

Mums are informed about the scheme during their pregnancy and following the birth by their midwife or health visitor.

Val Rimmer, Infant Feeding Co-ordinator with Pennine Care, said the scheme would give mums the confidence to feed their children in public.

She said: “Studies show that breastfed babies are less likely to experience obesity or diabetes when they are older, while breastfeeding also lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer in mothers.

“We want to make sure Rochdale is a safe, friendly and welcoming place for mums to feed their new babies.”

Businesses joining the scheme are encouraged to display a Breastfeeding Welcome sticker in a prominent window, to reassure mothers that they are welcome to breastfeed their baby on the premises.

Shirley Waller from Link4Life said: “We are delighted to support the Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme and we hope to support mums to feel confident to breastfeed in our facilities.”

Breastfeeding Peer Support Volunteer Sarah Manning added: “It gives women the confidence to breastfeed in public because they know they will be supported.

“That can help them breastfeed for longer and in turn that can help other women by normalising breastfeeding.”