Special week to promote breastfeeding

10:20am Saturday 10th May 2008

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BURY is to be at the centre of a series of activities to promote breastfeeding.

To coincide with National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, starting on Sunday, there are several events planned to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding.

An information stand in the Mill Gate shopping centre, from May 13 to 17, will be manned by staff from Bury Primary Care Trust (PCT) in partnership with Pennine Acute Trust and Bury Children's Centres, with a competition and prizes on offer each day.

A sponsored walk is to be held in Heaton Park on Saturday, May 17, with money raised going to a breast cancer charity, while this Saturday a baby day is being staged at Fairfield Hospital for mums and mums-to-be.

Breastfeeding friendly places are also being highlighted this week, where local establishments display a certificate to show it has met criteria designed to make breastfeeding as easy and discreet as possible. For details of breastfeeding friendly places in Bury, visit breastfeeding.nhs.uk In addition, there are local Baby Bistros breastfeeding support groups where mums are encouraged to come together to share their experiences of the early stages of motherhood and support each other with breastfeeding.

Baby Bistros are run from Redvales Children's Centre (253 6186) on Tuesdays 2.30pm-4pm; Besses Children's Centre (766 9807) on Fridays 9.30am-11.30am; and Ramsbottom Health Centre on Thursdays, 1pm-3pm.

FACTFILE: Although breastfeeding at birth is up from 63.3 per cent in 2004 to per 69.5 per cent cent in 2006 across Bury, the amount of mums still breastfeeding at six weeks is only 8.7 per cent in Bury Breastfed babies are less likely to become obese in later childhood and breastfeeding can prevent mums having health problems later in life.

Breastmilk is the best source of nutrition for babies and the Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding up to the age of six months, with continued breastfeeding alongside solid foods after six months.

Research shows the majority of mums would like to breastfeed their babies but often struggle and give up in the first few weeks.

Help and support for breastfeeding mums is available through local breastfeeding groups, from their midwife or health visitor and through helplines such as the National Breastfeeding helpline - 0844 2090920.