Health team scoop UN baby award
NHS Forth Valley’s community health visiting service has been awarded a Baby Friendly Award from the United Nations Children’s Fund.
Among the factors which earned the service the international accolade was that the number of women in Forth Valley who are breastfeeding at six weeks after giving birth has increased by more than five per cent.
The award was presented at the Breastfeeding Support Group at Clackmannanshire Community Healthcare Centre, where NHS Forth Valley General Manager Kathy O’Neill received a certificate from Anne Tainsh, professional lead for Scotland for the UNICEF Baby Friendly initiative.
Kathy said:“The community health visiting team offer practical and emotional support to enable local women across Forth Valley to help them feel more confident and comfortable to breastfeed.
“This support and encouragement is having a real impact on local women and is helping to improve our local breastfeeding rates.”
Morag Mackellar of NHS Forth Valley added:“We decided to join forces with Unicef’s UK Baby Friendly Initiative to increase breastfeeding rates and improve care for all mothers in NHS Forth Valley.
“Regardless of how a mother chooses to feed, she can be sure that she will be supported to form a strong loving relationship with her newborn baby.
Lesley Hetherington, NHS Forth Valley infant feeding coordinator, said: “Breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses including gastroenteritis and respiratory infections in infancy as well as asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes in later life.
“We also know breastfeeding reduces the mother’s risk of some cancers – although mums might be more interested in hearing that it is easier, cheaper and simply less hassle than bottle feeding.”
The Baby Friendly Initiative, set up by Unicef and the World Health Organisation, is a global programme which provides a practical and effective way for health services to improve the care provided for all mothers and babies.
In the UK, the initiative works with public services to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and to strengthen motherbaby and family relationships.
The award is given to health facilities/ hospitals/universities after an assessment by a Unicef team has shown that recognised best practice standards are in place.