THIS month is Breastfeeding Awareness Month and to mark it Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is officially launching its new infant feeding website.
The website www.feedingtogether.com offers a wealth of information about feeding and local parent support groups, and has a section especially for dads.
Feeding your newborn child is the most basic of parenting instincts, yet for some it can also be a frustrating and confusing process. This is why the specialist infant feeding midwife team at Basildon Hospital wanted to create a website giving soon-to-be and new parents a one-stop shop for all the information they need to know about feeding their baby.
Lisette Harris, specialist feeding midwife, says: “We know that breastfeeding is best for baby, but this is not always the first choice for mums. Our job is to make sure mum is supported whatever her choice. No-one should be made to feel guilty about bottle feeding. I would say to mums don‟t make any decisions about feeding until you meet your baby.
“When women have a better understanding of breastfeeding, they are more inclined to give it a try. Mums give up because they perceive that breastfeeding can be exhausting but, with the right support and understanding she is able to continue for as long as she wants to.”
The hospital recently became the first in the East of England to achieve full UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Accreditation for the support they give to parents thanks to the hard work of Lisette and Geraldine Purver, who make up the specialist infant feeding midwife team.
Since 2009, Lisette and Geraldine have trained maternity and neonatal staff to educate parents about feeding newborns, with an emphasis on developing the bond between the baby and parents.
The team are also piloting a three-month trial of feeding workshops so women can learn everything they need to know about feeding and the benefits of skin-to-skin contact.
Geraldine adds: “It‟s all about education and information with a freedom of choice, it‟s not the old adage „one size fits all‟. The gold standard is to exclusively breastfeed until six months however, it does not mean that combination feeding or bottle feeding are substandard.”
Visit the website at www.feedingtogether.com.
