EVERYONE has a part to play in helping mums to breastfeed – that’s the theme for this year’s National Breastfeeding Celebration Week, which runs until July 3.

North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust (NCIC) is putting on sessions across the county this week to ensure mums have access to practical support and help.

The week celebrates the benefits of breastfeeding and aims to raise awareness of the help and advice available to promote, protect and support breastfeeding for all.

The main message of the week is how amazing breastfeeding is and to raise the profile of all the wonderful support available in our area.

Andrea Harriman, infant feeding lead and specialist midwife at NCIC, said: “Breastfeeding provides infants with all the nutrients they need but it also provides comfort, love and protection.

“Breastfeeding is the biological norm, provides the best start in life and has a positive impact on a baby’s development, from strengthening immunity and reducing the risk of infections to emotional bonding and building long term mental and physical resilience.”

Bernice Radcliffe, infant feeding lead for maternity at NCIC, said: “It also has a positive impact for mums and improves their health too by lowering the incidence of certain cancers, disease, depression and diabetes.”

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The infant feeding team at NCIC has produced a video to raise awareness.
Andrea said: “Bernice and I commenced our role of infant feeding lead specialist midwives last year and since then we have been supporting mothers and their partners to breastfeed, as well as raising awareness of breastfeeding to ultimately improve the health of those in our area.”

Bernice has some advice for women struggling with breastfeeding: “Don’t give up on a bad day!

"Breastfeeding takes practice, you and your baby have to learn together and it takes time to learn this new skill.

"We’d encourage you to access some support to get to the bottom of up the difficulty, sometimes a small tweak really can make a big difference… you can do this!”

Today, Wednesday, June 29, they will be in:

  • Wigton Library from 10.30am to 11.30am 

Tomorrow, on Thursday, June 30, sessions will take place in:

  • Kendal (Ghyllside Neighbourhood Centre) from 9.30am to 11.30am; 
  • Maryport Library from 10am to 11am; and
  • Egremont Children’s Centre from 12pm to 1pm.

On Friday, July 1 drop in support sessions will take place in:

  • Windermere’s Phoenix Centre from 9.30am to 11.30am, 
  • Workington’s Minto Centre from 10am to 12pm; and 
  • Millom Children’s Centre from 11am to 12pm.

There will also be week-long displays with information and advice at the Cumberland Infirmary and the West Cumberland Hospital.

And don’t forget to follow #NationalBreastfeedingWeek on social media.

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