THURSDAY, 13 JUNE, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE. Photograph attached:

Photo 1 L-R Veronica Patullo, NHS Tayside Project Officer, Maternal & Infant Nutrition and Wayne Brown, Site Manager, Ninewells Hospital presented with Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland award

Photo 2 L-R Fiona Stewart, NHS Tayside Breastfeeding Support Worker and Jocelyn Smith who is the Coordinator for Breast Buddies Perth and Kinross

NHS Tayside supports Scottish Breastfeeding Week

NHS Tayside raises awareness of Scottish Breastfeeding Week by becoming Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland accredited.

Scottish Breastfeeding Week (10-16 June) 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.

Ninewells Hospital, PRI, Stracathro and Arbroath Infirmary have signed up to the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland scheme. Earlier this week, Ninewells Hospital was presented with a Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland award by Veronica Patullo, Project Officer, Maternal & Infant Nutrition for NHS Tayside. The scheme aims to help businesses and people who breastfeed know their rights and responsibilities. By signing up to the scheme, NHS Tayside hope this will provide reassurance that a breastfeeding mum would be welcome and supported across these sites.

NHS Tayside and Breast Buddies were at the Overgate Shopping Centre in Dundee on Wednesday (12 June) to celebrate Scottish Breastfeeding Week with a pop up awareness stand. This gave members of the public an opportunity to chat to breastfeeding support workers and Breast Buddies coordinators about breastfeeding and returning to work. They also shared resources which help support breastfeeding when out and about.

Breastfeeding rates continue to increase, last year in Tayside almost 70% 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.

NHS Tayside Director of Public Health and Unicef UK Baby Friendly Guardian Dr Emma Fletcher said, “I’m delighted to support and raise awareness of 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 Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland 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.

Contact:

Abigail Reid

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 424138