MONDAY, 5 JUNE, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Photograph attached: L-R Breast Buddies coordinator Stacie Cairnie, new mum Brooke Cleary with one week old baby Honey, Unicef UK Baby Friendly Professional Lead for Scotland Janet Dalzell, NHS Tayside Infant Nutrition Coordinator Gillian McMillan, V&A Dundee General Manager of Experience Jack Reilly, NHS Tayside Child Health Commissioner Elaine Cruickshank and NHS Tayside Director of Public Health and Unicef Baby Friendly Guardian Dr Emma Fletcher

NHS Tayside supports Scottish Breastfeeding Week at V&A Dundee

NHS Tayside, along with Breast Buddies launch Scottish Breastfeeding Week in Tayside at V&A Dundee.

Today’s event (5 June 2023), with NHS Tayside and Breast Buddies aims to raise awareness of Scottish Breastfeeding Week in partnership with the learning programme team at V&A Dundee.

Families were encouraged to take part in several activities throughout the day including demonstrations from the sling library, a bookbug session and wellbeing activities.

Scottish Breastfeeding Week celebrates the work being carried out to support, promote and protect breastfeeding across Scotland. Breastfeeding provides the best nutrition for babies and young children, is good for mother and baby’s health and helps to prevent disease.

Coinciding with Volunteers’ Week, NHS Tayside Director of Public Health and Baby Friendly Guardian, Dr Emma Fletcher and Child Health Commissioner, Elaine Cruickshank took the opportunity to thank breastfeeding support volunteers for their work across Tayside.

Last year, in Tayside, more than two thirds of babies were breastfed at least some time after their birth. Having access to skilled support is key to helping overcome challenges faced by new parents. Breast Buddies volunteers are mothers in Tayside who have breastfed, and, following additional training, provide support via text messaging, face to face groups, Facebook groups and WhatsApp groups to other new mothers.

V&A Dundee have signed up to the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland scheme and were presented with a Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland award by Gillian McMillan, Infant Nutrition Coordinator for NHS Tayside. Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland (BFS) is a national scheme that any business can sign up to for free. It's endorsed by the Scottish Government and run by local health boards. The scheme aims to help businesses and people who breastfeed know their rights and responsibilities. The award shows people that the business understands the law protecting breastfeeding in public and supports breastfeeding on their premises.

Tracey Smith, V&A Dundee Learning Programme Producer said, “Our team is thrilled to be part of the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland scheme and the Scottish Breastfeeding Week launch, offering a taster of our free Families programme. We welcome everyone's choice to breastfeed anywhere at V&A Dundee, with comfortable spaces available throughout the museum.”

NHS Tayside Director of Public Health and Unicef UK Baby Friendly Guardian Dr Emma Fletcher said, “I’m delighted to have this opportunity to promote and raise awareness during Scottish Breastfeeding Week. Creating a culture where breastfeeding is widely promoted and seen as a normal occurrence is really important to supporting new mothers and their families. We hope to encourage more businesses to join the scheme and create welcoming environments for women who choose to breastfeed. If you have a business and are interested in joining the scheme in Tayside please email Tay.BreastfeedingFriendlyScotland@nhs.scot – we would love to hear from you!

“If you are a mother currently breastfeeding or pregnant and considering breastfeeding and would like additional support, the Infant Feeding Advisors are contactable at the Tayside Breastfeeding clinic on 01382 740511.”

To contact Breast Buddies email Tay.BreastBuddies@nhs.scot

For more information on the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland scheme, visit: https://www.parentclub.scot/articles/getting-out-and-about-while-breastfeeding

For more information on the benefits of breastfeeding and to find out about the local support that’s available in Tayside, visit https://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/OurServicesA-Z/MaternityServices/PROD_341823/index.htm

Contact:

Abigail Reid

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138