Discover the Facts and Dismiss the Myths at Breastfeeding Awareness Week

22 June, 2010

Next week, St Stephen’s shopping centre will host the National Breastfeeding Awareness Week. Here you will discover the facts about the benefits to both mother and baby, receive advice on where to find support and to finally dispel all the myths.

City Health Care Partnership, NHS Hull and Children’s Centres across Hull will be joining forces between the 21-23 June at St Stephens shopping centre, to promote National Breastfeeding Awareness Week.

Ranging from Health Visitors, Children’s Centre Staff, Infant Feeding Co-ordinators, Peer Supporters, and volunteers from the Doula Project, they will be on hand to provide help, support and advice. Whether you are pregnant, a new mum or dad, or you would just like to learn more, come and visit the stand.

Mags Shore, Infant Feeding Co-ordinator at City Health Care Partnership comments:

“The health benefits to both mother and baby during breastfeeding are amazing. Not only will the milk adapt on a daily basis to provide the baby with all the nutrients it needs, it also releases special hormones in the body to help mum relax and bond with their baby.

Breastfeeding can help your baby’s body to protect itself from many childhood illnesses and diseases, it can also protect mum from breast and ovarian cancer.

Besides this it can burn up to 500 calories a day! Great for mum’s trying to get back in shape, and for families watching their pennies you can save up to £600 a year!”

To promote the Breastfeeding Awareness Week we will have various activities running over the three days, together with a quiz with top prizes, including tickets to The Deep and Hull Truck. Also if you bring your baby or toddler on the day, you can take home a free hand and foot print certificate to preserve precious memories forever.

Also at the event, visitors will be given information on the new campaign ibreastfeed, recently launched by NHS Hull. Supporting the campaign is a new website www.ibreastfeed.co.uk, which has been designed specifically to give women in Hull the information and confidence to choose to breastfeed, with the support of their partners, families and the public.