NHS Tayside backs World Breastfeeding Week

NHS Tayside supported World Breastfeeding Week by promoting the important message that “everyone should encourage and support women who are breastfeeding”.

World Breastfeeding Week, which ran from August 1-7, is a global campaign celebrated around the world since 1992 and aims to raise awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding.

The theme this year was ‘A Shared Responsibility’, with the focus being that it is everyone’s responsibility to protect, promote and support breastfeeding.

Staff working across NHS Tayside’s maternity services, health visiting, family nurse partnership and public health joined together to support this year’s campaign.

They promoted the campaign with a week-long series of messages on NHS Tayside’s social media channels which started on Sunday, August 1.

In Tayside, a midwife, health visitor or family nurse can provide support throughout pregnancy as well as in the postnatal period for families with their feeding choices for their baby.

Additional support is also available from infant feeding advisors who can offer specialised infant feeding support to women and their families.

Infant feeding advisor Lisa Young said: “World Breastfeeding Week is a perfect opportunity to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding.

“This year’s campaign particularly focuses on what people can do to support women whether it is a partner, family member or a member of the community.

“Each day of the week-long campaign a new message will be shared online which reinforces and reminds everyone that it is their responsibility to support breastfeeding women.

“We recognise that breastfeeding is often a skill that can take time and patience to learn and that is why it is so important for those closest to the women and for society in general to offer them as much support and encouragement as possible.”