Mums and babies on cinema trip
MOTHERS and their babies attended a baby-friendly screening of Beauty And The Beast at a Runcorn cinema this week to mark its appointment as a ‘breastfeeding friendly’ venue.
Cineworld on Trident Retail Park lowered the volume, left lighting on and provided space for buggies and prams.
Staff were on hand to help parents, directing them to changing facilities and holding doors.
The Breastfeeding Friendly scheme is run by Halton Borough Council’s health improvement team, and includes more than 100 venues including cafes, pubs, restaurants and shops that ● have signed up.
A spokeswoman for the initiative said many first-time mums do not feel confident about breastfeeding when out in public, and the scheme aims to make them feel comfortable and ensure they will not be challenged or made to feel uncomfortable.
Parents at the screening also received details of a Facebook service aimed at helping breastfeeding mums.
An interactive chatbot can be accessed through the social media giant’s messenger app.
The ‘Start4Life Breastfeeding Friend’ (BFF) will guide mothers thorough their first weeks of breastfeeding and help them to breastfeed successfully by providing personal support around the clock.
Natalie Starkey, of Halton’s infant feeding team, presented the Breastfeeding Friendly status to Cineworld manager Paul O’Prey, who said: “We are really happy to have this award, families are welcome here and we will support any breastfeeding mums so they can comfortably feed their baby at our cinema.
“Hopefully we’ll be seeing lots more of these screenings.”
For more information visit m. me/ Start4LifeBreastFeedingFriend