NHS pilot aims to make getting colostrum easier

for the birds. Society is composed of people who disagree. You see that in journals, diaries and old letters.

“So, creating a world with mouthy, working-class women; with people who can speak more than one language; who come from different communities, maybe immigrant communities, and people who are part of the LGBTQ+ community – these are exciting characters to write alongside the mainstream versions of history (the white, male-led and conservative). The truth is minorities are real fixers. They’re people that are going to change things because they’re outsiders.”

Does that also apply to independence campaigners shunned by the Scottish establishment? “Everything starts out as a minority. The movement for women’s suffrage started as a crazy idea in 1746.

“The idea of women being MPs was laughed out of Westminster

– and then 172 years later, it happened, alongside the vote. All of our interesting social advances, the things we’re proudest of, come from the minority. And gradually, any dedicated minority will recruit the majority to the cause.”

There’s also the use of Scots throughout Sheridan’s books. “Allan Massie used a word the other day, tushery, which is when language is fake. You know, ‘och, it’s weel cauld the nicht’ as found in some traditional historical novels. I’ve tried to capture more exactly the way people might actually have spoken. Posh characters, too. Scots was also an upper-class language and that’s another way of normalising it.’

Confounding more stereotypes, Sheridan’s characters are not cheerful, servile, working-class heroines. “Not every working-class woman was subservient and delighted to be of service – or a victim. I’m trying to give a voice to that diversity of experience. There’s always been great debate in politics. And people have never liked mouthy women. So, women have always had to deal with it. That’s nothing new or alarming.

“When I was writing Where Are The Women [Sheridan’s remapping of Scotland to give women equal status in memorials] one of the things I kept seeing was Victorian women who thought they were the first, but in fact, Georgian women had already been there. We’re still making all those leaps as if we’re the first when we don’t actually have to.”

And Sheridan’s message on International Women’s Day? “You come from something amazing. If you don’t know that, it’s much more difficult to stand on the shoulders of giants. Yet this history is your birthright.”

The Fair Botanists is out in paperback, priced £9.99. The Secrets of Blythswood Square is out in hardback , priced £16.99. Both are published by Hodder & Stoughton. Where Are The Women?: A Guide To An Imagined Scotland is out in paperback, priced £9.99, published by Historic Environment Scotland

IT’S described as “liquid gold” for babies and an innovative way of making sure more newborns benefit from colostrum is now being rolled out across Scotland.

Piloted by NHS Highland, antenatal colostrum harvesting has been such a success that eight other health boards have implemented the toolkit and the remaining four are hoped to follow suit.

The precious substance protects babies against a wide range of illnesses, and those who are not breastfed after birth can miss out on its benefits.

This can happen for a number of reasons but in 2017, the maternal and infant nutrition survey found that NHS Highland had the highest formula milk supplementation rates in Scotland.

As a result, health professionals decided to introduce several initiatives, including antenatal colostrum harvesting, to try and bring the number down. It has since seen formula supplementation rates fallen from 45% in 2018 to between 7% and 11% currently each month.

And despite worries that colostrum harvesting might not work, women who have taken part in the scheme appear more confident about breastfeeding their babies with initiation rates 20% higher than the overall rate of 70.

This continues at the 10-14 day mark, with exclusive breastfeeding around 20% higher for women that have taken part in antenatal colostrum harvesting than the normal population cohort of 47%.

“Women who have colostrum harvested are much more able to hand express their milk in the postnatal period,” said NHS Highland infant feeding lead Karen MacKay. “They seem much more prepared and confident about breastfeeding. Women in that latter three weeks of pregnancy are usually off work so they have time to get everything ready and colostrum harvesting is just part of the preparation.

“They are not knackered after labour and they have got the time to practise that skill, because breastfeeding is a skill.”

Harvesting is offered to women that fit certain criteria such as those having an elective caesarean or those with gestational or pre-existing diabetes.

Those who want to try are given a kit when they are around 37 weeks pregnant with ten small syringes and instructions on how to hand express and store their colostrum.

“When they come in to deliver, they bring their wee pack of colostrum with them,” said Karen. “We always try to get mums to use their fresh breast milk if we can but if there is any problem then we have that back-up of colostrum so there is no need for formula.”

Only a tiny amount of the substance, which is administered straight from the syringe into the baby’s mouth, is needed.

“It’s like liquid gold,” said Karen. “They are just one millilitre syringes – colostrum is low in volume but really high in impact. It has everything a baby needs and we don’t waste any of it because it is so precious.”

Colostrum harvesting is just one of the initiatives Karen and her team has introduced to increase breastfeeding rates in the Highlands.

There are seven infant feeding support workers who offer breastfeeding workshops and one-to-one support in the region, and breastfeeding rates in the most deprived areas, especially, have risen as a result of their work.

“Breastfeeding is less prominent in areas of significant deprivation but in Highland we have seen a year on year improvement with exclusive breastfeeding at 10-14 days increasing by 5% and exclusive breastfeeding at 6-8 weeks increasing by 2.8%,” Karen said.

“Mixed feeding for these timeframes has also increased at 10-14 days by 7.5% and 6-8 weeks by 5.8%.”

As well as the infant feeding support workers there are 35 NHS trained and managed peer support volunteers with another five currently being trained in-house. They offer a 365 days a year phone service and around 70% of breastfeeding and mixed feeding women take up the offer of peer support on leaving hospital.

All antenatal women are encouraged to attend postnatal breastfeeding support groups where they can see babies being breastfed early in the postnatal period.

Another successful initiative run by NHS Highland is their antenatal Facebook course which runs quarterly for three weeks each time and covers all aspects of breastfeeding.

Around 200 women each quarter access the course, and in addition there is a postnatal private Facebook page which currently has around 3000 members.

“We usually have between six to eight questions posted from mums every 24 hours on our postnatal group and they are responded to really quickly by our infant feeding support workers and peer supporters,” said Karen. “We have always had a really successful Facebook buy-in in Highland.”

She added: “We are really pleased at the response because breastfeeding has so many benefits for both babies and women.”

FROM drawing to distilling, ceramics to crochet, talented women the length and breadth of Scotland are making gorgeous, delicious and inspiring products .

Our featured maker, Edinburghbased illustrator Sarah Kwan, combines influences from East and West for her playful products, including a vinyl sticker portraying a Chinese dragon tied into a Celtic knot (below, £3), a greetings card transplanting Nessie into some Chinese New Year celebrations and a print fusing two very different delicacies – the teacake and dim sum.

Isle of Cumbrae Distillers are an all-female team based on Millport who produce three awardwinning craft gins – Nostalgin, Croc Rock Gin and Restoration Gin – that come in beautiful bottles designed by the renowned painter Hope Blamire.

Elsewhere in the islands, Alison Moore makes exquisite jewellery from her home in Orkney, including pieces created using casts of shells she finds on the shore; Fiona Meiklejohn runs Isle of Skye Soap Company, offering hand-crafted aromatherapy soap that is made without colouring and using only the purest essential oils; and Jacqui Murphy sells beautiful hand-painted silk scarves under her Silky Stuff Mull label.

Among other artists taking inspiration from Scotland’s coasts are Fintry-based landscape painter Miriam Emerton, whose products include cards capturing the dazzling colours of Arran; Jo Mathewson,who makes candles and diffusers in her Fife studio for her brand Jo Jo Co; and Edinburgh-based Eilidh Strang, whose hand-enamelled jewellery includes statement earrings inspired by seascapes.

In Inverness, ceramicist Julia Smith makes lovely illustrated ceramics that are intended to be used and enjoyed every day and feature birds, animals and even little humans exploring the landscape. In Glasgow, Cherryloco jewellery sells quirky acrylic jewellery including a dazzling thistle that can be made as a brooch, pendant or earrings.

Chloe Oswald created her brand Chocolatia after building an impressive career that included building chocolate sculptures for major events. Her chocolates are, she says, “designed to be absolutely devoured”, although it would be wrong not to admire how beautiful they look first. Eleanor Thomas makes Tiny Crocheted Things alongside her studies, including some absolutely adorable tiny frogs.

Last but not least, women-run independence publisher Scotland Street Press champions women’s voices, such as that of author Leslie Hills, whose book 10 Scotland Street – the story of an Edinburgh home over two centuries – has been hailed by the author Sara Sheridan as “a triumph”.

What’s the story behind your brand?

My background is in fine art, specialising in painting and drawing, and ever since my time at university I have combined my cultural experiences in some form – to help me to process and understand the connections between them all and why those are so wonderful. I decided to really start my business in 2017, when I started selling prints of my work. That year is when I really began my “East meets West” series, taking some illustrations that I drew years previously, adding to them – and then creating high-quality prints for sale. People began to respond in such positive ways to the fun and colourful multicultural mash-ups that I had created.

What do you make?

I create illustrative designs for prints, cards, tea towels, postcards, magnets and stickers, amongst other lovely things. I also create physical and digital artwork for private and commercial clients, through painting and drawing.

What techniques do you use? I use a range of analogue and digital techniques, from painting and drawing by hand on paper and scanning them in, to digital painting and drawing and collage. I absolutely love trying out a range of techniques, such as crafting with paper and sewing with fabric material as well.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I get inspiration from the culture and humour that connects us as people, I get very excited hearing and reading about stories of history and symbolism – and it always sparks my creativity when I find similarities in culture that you wouldn’t usually expect. As artists I believe we are always looking and seeing and finding beauty, even in seemingly mundane things.

What sets you apart from other makers?

Through my work I give people an opportunity to see through a different lens, and hopefully spark conversation about different cultures. I hope people enjoy the thought and artistry I put into my designs, and the way I combine ideas together – in such a way I haven’t seen done before. I hope that it makes them laugh and brings joy to their day, and allows them to feel more connected to the place and value they have in the world.

What are your most popular products?

My prints, cards, tea towels and stickers are enjoyed a lot. My Aye & Brew Tea Set (above) and Teacake Dim Sum designs are among the most popular.