Breast Buddies are a breastfeeding peer support service that has been established for three years.  During this time 124 women have been trained to support Rotherham mothers with their breastfeeding. Breast Buddies groups have been established in all 22 children’s centres across Rotherham and regularly support over 80 mums and their families every week.  There is also a Breast Buddies Rotherham Facebook page giving new families a range of support options across Rotherham. 

Breast Buddies have recently supported the roll out of the Breastfeeding Friendly Rotherham award scheme.  The award scheme highlights places which welcome and support breastfeeding mums, and promote the importance of breastfeeding both to the mother and infant.

Rebecca Atchinson, Public Health NHS Rotherham, said: “Breast milk provides all the nutrients your baby needs for the first six months of life and provides a range of benefits for both mum and infant.  Research shows that a key factor in women choosing to stop breastfeeding is the lack of facilities for them to use when they are out and about.  In Rotherham our Breast Buddies have worked with shops and public areas to make the town Breastfeeding Friendly and these awards will recognise those places that are going that extra mile to support mums and babies.”

We currently have 50 venues that are breastfeeding friendly including all 22 children’s centres, 17 libraries, 7 pharmacies, 2 health centres and Costa Coffee and Mothercare at Parkgate.  On Tuesday 18 June an additional 14 venues will receive awards.  This will ensure a total of 64 venues in Rotherham are welcoming breastfeeding mothers:

• Costa Coffee, Wath
• Story Teller, Parkgate
• Camelot Play Castle, Rotherham
• Rawmarsh Customer Service Centre & Library
• Café Flair, Parkgate
• Playworld, Parkgate
• Pizza Hut, Parkgate
• M&S, Parkgate
• BHS, Parkgate
• Marquis, Rawmarsh
• The Tabard, The Stag
• Riverside Café, Rotherham
• Big Tops, Dinnington
• Aquafyn training LTD(Leisure Centre), Dinnington

Next week Breast Buddies will be promoting breastfeeding in a range of ways across Rotherham, including:

• Monday 18 & Wednesday 20 June – promotional event at Mothercare, Parkgate 10-2.30pm

• Tuesday 19 June – presentation of Breastfeeding Friendly Awards at Rotherham Town Hall, 10am to 11.30am.

• Tuesday 19 & Thursday 21June – promotional activity in Rotherham’s 22 children’s centres. Own promoting themselves.

• Friday 22 June – gathering of families for a picnic in Clifton Park (weather permitting). Meeting at 11.30am at the bandstand.

Only 63% of mums in Rotherham breastfeed and many stop before their baby is six weeks old.  NHS Rotherham is working towards improving this figure year and is developing a range of initiatives that support women to breastfeed for longer and Breast Buddies have been influential in supporting this.

Breastfeeding has many health benefits for mother and baby. Breast milk gives babies all the nutrients they need for the first six months of life and helps protect them from infection and diseases. It also reduces the mother’s chances of getting certain diseases later in life.  The longer a woman breastfeeds the more she and her baby benefit from the protection it offers.

Benefits for baby:

• Protection from chest, ear and urine infections

• Protection from gastroenteritis and stomach upsets

• Reduced risk of obesity in childhood and later life

• Reduced risk of diabetes

• Reduced risk of developing asthma, eczema and allergies

Benefits for mum:

• Burns up to 500 calories per day and helps to shed the weight gained in pregnancy

• Reduced risk of breast and ovarian cancer

• Reduced risk of osteoporosis and fractures in later life

• Helps body to physically recover from pregnancy and childbirth

 

Note to Editors:

The following venues in Rotherham already hold the Breastfeeding Friendly Award:

Children's Centres

The Arnold Children's Centre
AC-Day Centre
Aughton Early Years Centre
Brookfield Centre
Coleridge Children’s Centre
Cortonwood Children's Centre
Dinnington Children's Centre
Kimberworth Community Primary School
Marcliff (Listerdale) Children's Centre
The Meadows Children's Centre
Park View Children's Centre
Rawmarsh Children's Centre
Rockingham Children's Centre
Rotherham Central Children's Centre
Ryton Brook Children's Centre
Silver Birch Children's Centre
Stepping Stones Children Centre
Sue Walker Children's Centre
Thorpe Hesley Children's Centre
Thrybergh Rainbow Centre
Thurcroft Children's Centre
Valley Children's Centre
Wath Victoria Children's Centre
The Willow Tree Children's Centre
Dinnington Community Library
Rotherham Central Library
Mowbray Gardens
Wickersley Community Centre & Library
Swinton Community Library
Wath Community Library
Maltby Community Library
Thorpe Hesley Community Library
Aston Community Library
Kiveton Park Community Library
Kimberworth Park Community
Kimberworth Community Library
Greasbrough Community Library
Thurcroft Community Library
Rawmarsh Community Library
Brinsworth Community Library
The Mobile Library
Costa Coffee, Parkgate
Mothercare, Parkgate
Lloyds Pharmacy, Fenton Road, Greasbrough
Weldricks Pharmacy, High Street, Maltby
Cooperative Pharmacy, Poplar Glade, Wickersley
Weldricks Pharmacy, Crown Street, Swinton
Lloyds Pharmacy, Central Parade, Badsley Moor Lane
Weldricks Pharmacy, Wales
Weldricks Pharmacy, Rawmarsh
Swinton Brookfield Children’s Centre
Aston Joint Service Centre

Ref:   NHSR12-P28