Breastfeeding Together Host “Big Latch On”

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Breastfeeding Together hosted the ‘Big Latch On’ 2017 at Pennington Park in Leigh On Friday 4th August at 9.45-11am, with a great turnout for the event. We had:

  • Total mothers – 28
  • Total children being breastfed – 24
  • Total people attending – 73

The Global Big Latch On takes place at registered locations around the world, where women gather together to breastfeed and offer peer support to each other. Their friends, family and community join this celebration to promote and support breastfeeding.

Volunteers from within the local community host each location. Hosting a Global Big Latch On creates a lasting support network between people in the local community, and on a national and international scale.

Why support breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding provides a whole host of benefits for mums and babies, including reducing the rate of illnesses and diseases such as obesity, diabetes and some forms of cancers. Breastmilk alone provides all the nutrients your baby needs from birth to six months old, and continues to offer benefits even after the introduction of solid foods.

However, lots of mums find breastfeeding difficult in the early weeks and the many mums start off breastfeeding the number declines. Part of the reason for the drop in breastfeeding rates is the lack of knowledgeable support and understanding in the way breastfeeding works. This, combined with the fear of feeding in public, can lead to the introduction of formula.

Wigan breastfeeding peer support

In Wigan we’re fortunate to have a council-commissioned service to help support breastfeeding mums with hospital and home visits, as well as a number of groups around the area.

We want to tell breastfeeding mums they’re not alone. Through events like the Big Latch On, we’re highlighting the benefits of breastfeeding while encouraging new mums to engage in the support of our service and other breastfeeding mums. We’re trying to normalize breastfeeding, ensuring mums feel confident, reassured and protected when feeding in public. As a breastfeeding mum it is illegal for anyone, anywhere to tell you not to breastfeed your baby. Breastfeeding is the biological norm, and if you do wish to breastfeed your baby, you have the full support of Breastfeeding Together in the Wigan area, and organisations like ours on a national scale.

For further details and press enquiries please contact enquiries@breastfeedingtogether.co.uk

Joxytales signs up to Breastfeeding Friendly Award 

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Congratulations to Joanna and the team at Joxytales who have just signed up to our breastfeeding friendly award. They run classes for babies and children all over the borough. Pop over to their Facebook page to find out more. 

If you are interested in signing up to our breastfeeding friendly award or to find out more information visit 

Apply To Be Breastfeeding Friendly

http://www.joxytales.com/index.html

Breastfeeding Flash Mob And More – Celebrate Breastfeeding Awareness Month

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Wigan charity Breastfeeding Together has put together an exciting programme of events for Breastfeeding Awareness month in June.

Breastfeeding mums past, present and future, and supporters of breastfeeding including dads and grandparents, are encouraged to come along to the events across the Wigan borough.

Events include the annual flash mob at Wigan’s Grand Arcade, a picnic at Pennington Park in Leigh, an information stall in Spinning Gate shopping centre, and parties at all the local breastfeeding groups. There is also a grand prize raffle with prizes including play centre vouchers, mum and baby fitness classes, cinema vouchers and meals out.  Please see the attached timetable of events for more details and addresses for our events throughout the month.

Breastfeeding Together Project Manager, Elinor Halliwell says: “Breastfeeding can be difficult for new mums, especially for those without a knowledgeable support base. In the past, information and tips would have been passed down from mother to daughter and from aunties, sisters and friends. Because of the growth of the formula industry society has lost a lot of the knowledge mums need to succeed. That’s why peer support services like Breastfeeding Together are key to helping mums feel supported and giving them the tools they need to breastfeed.”

“We want to help breastfeeding mums – who are in the minority in Wigan – to feel part of a wider breastfeeding community and celebrate their success. Events like this are a great way to ensure all new mums and mums-to-be are aware of the support they can expect if they decide to breastfeed, and hopefully it will encourage more mums to realise the extensive benefits of breastmilk.”

 Why is breastfeeding important?

Breastfeeding reduces a baby’s risk of infections, with fewer visits to hospital as a result,diarrhoea and vomiting, sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), childhood leukaemia, type 2 diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease in adulthood. For mums, breastfeeding reduces the rates of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, osteoporosis (weak bones), cardiovascular disease and obesity.

Breastfeeding rates across the UK are considerably lower than in other areas of the world. Around 80% of mums start out breastfeeding at birth but just 1 in 200 women are still breastfeeding their children after they reach their first birthday. The World Health Organization (WHO) babies are fed exclusively breast milk for six months, then say breastfeeding should form part of the baby’s diet up to two years and beyond.

About Breastfeeding Together

Breastfeeding Together is a not for profit organisation which was set up in 2014 by experienced Breastfeeding Peer Supporters with many years of experience of supporting mothers both in the antenatal and postnatal period. In November 2015, Breastfeeding Together became a Registered Charity no. 1164333.

The charity also signs up local businesses and organisations to its Breastfeeding Friendly Award scheme, which helps Breastfeeding mothers feel more confident about breastfeeding in public.

Breastfeeding Together’s mission is to improve rates through the Wigan Borough by supporting new mums. In addition to the breastfeeding support groups, the charity operates support on the ward at Wigan Hospital, runs an out of hours live chat service, and provides home visits within the community. Breastfeeding Peer Supporters and volunteers undergo a rigorous Level 2 training course so they can provide the most up to date information.

Contact Breastfeeding Together on 01942 777903 for further information on this and all other Breastfeeding support groups. Find us at www.breastfeedingtogether.co.uk.

For further information contact:

Elinor Halliwell, Project Manager, Breastfeeding Together

Breastfeeding Together

Wigan Investment Centre

Waterside Drive

Wigan

WN3 5BA

Telephone: 01942 777903

 

From Bottles To Boobs: Fiona’s Story

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When I was pregnant with my first and second child in 2009/10 I remember being asked if I was going to breast or bottle feed and when answering that I was unsure was given a breastfeeding DVD and it not being mentioned again, I really didn’t know at that time about the benefits of breastfeeding  – only saw the restrictions I thought it would have on my lifestyle.  As neither my mum nor my grandma had breastfed it wasn’t something which was discussed or encouraged by my family. I then made the decision to bottle feed my first two children.

I started work with Breastfeeding Together in April 2014 doing administration; I had minimal knowledge of the benefits of breastfeeding at the time, but quickly gained a great deal of information.  When I found out I was expecting my third child, I had very clearly in my mind that I wanted to breastfeed and would do anything in my power to ensure my baby had all the benefits of being exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months of her life.

As I didn’t  breast feed my older children I decided to book myself and my husband onto the breastfeeding workshop – although I will have to admit I felt I would be out of place as I wasn’t a first time mum, this wasn’t the case two of the other mums also had older children but hadn’t breastfed before !  The workshop was  really informative and enjoyable it helped dispel a lot of the myths I thought were true around breastfeeding, such as I would be sat in a chair all night feeding when in reality I have found I have had more sleep this time, it also really helped my husband realise the role he and other family members could play in helping me breastfeed successfully.

My daughter arrived a week late in May 2015, I desperately wanted to feed her soon after she was born however I had trouble getting her to latch and feed, after help on the ward from the infant feeding team I brought Kate home where I started to really struggle, something I thought would come very naturally wasn’t as easy as I had assumed – it was going to be a skill both Kate and I would have to learn together, luckily we wouldn’t be alone in our journey.

Helen my peer supporter contacted me on the day we came home from hospital to talk through feeding and see how things were going, feeding had become quite painful and I was unsure I was holding Kate in the right way.  The next day Helen observed a feed at home and noticed that Kate was tongue tied and made a referral for this to be divided.

I found feeding Kate challenging and at times exhausting she seemed to be constantly hungry and on the Sunday when she was 6 days old I felt at breaking point I sent Helen a very long text message as I was too upset to speak clearly on the telephone. I had a reply within the hour and a visit that same day, to be told I was doing a fantastic job and showed us some different feeding positions really buoyed my confidence with regular contact and helped me persevere with feeding until we had the tongue tie divided.

Helen came back the next day to observe a feed and help adjust our positioning slightly- what a difference this made within a few days I had healed and feeding became pain free and felt like the natural experience it was supposed to be.  

I honestly feel that I would not be writing this case study if it wasn’t for the peer support I had, both with the workshops in pregnancy and after my baby was born.  I am so very proud to still be feeding my daughter at 2 years and knowing all the health benefits she has and will continue to have from my milk, not to mention the financial saving we have made enabled me to have a longer maternity leave then we had previously anticipated.

I have always thought that the service was important and helps mums a great deal but having gone through the service myself I have come to realise that the support is absolutely invaluable, so much so that I decided to do the volunteer training course and hopefully give something back.

Be Part Of Our Photo Shoot

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At Breastfeeding Together we’re looking for women who are breastfeeding, or have breastfed in the past, to be involved in a photoshoot as part of our new Every Feed Counts campaign.

Whether you fed for one day, a week, a month, a year, or more, we want to hear from you, and hear why you chose to breastfeed.

If you’d like to be involved, please drop in to:

Wigan Investment Centre, Waterside Dr, Wigan WN3 5BA,

Time: Between 10am and 2pm

Date: Saturday 25th March 2017.

How often do you see women’s breasts in the media – whether it’s advertising a product, in a magazine or a Hollywood blockbuster? Now, how often do you see a woman using those breasts to feed a child?

Part of encouraging more women to breastfeed is normalising the practice. Many women and girls have never seen anyone breastfeed and so it can be quite an alien concept. As part of the photoshoot we want to display how natural, normal and beautiful it is for women to use their breasts to feed their babies – for however long they choose to do it.

We’d like anyone who supports breastfeeding to be part of the Every Feed Counts campaign, so even if you’re no longer breastfeeding we’d love you to come along and join us at the photo shoot.

New Breastfeeding Support Group Gets Off To A Flying Start

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Volunteers from charity Breastfeeding Together have set up a new support group to help breastfeeding mums in the Golborne/Lowton area. The group has been open for two weeks but has already seen good attendance levels.

Breastfeeding Together Volunteers Francesca Lowe and Laura Thompson set up the group after seeing the need for support in their local community.

The group is located at Treetops Play and Party Cafe in Golborne and is open to breastfeeding mums looking for a way to connect with other parents, and antenatal mums seeking information.

Breastfeeding Together is a not for profit organisation which was set up in 2014 by experienced Breastfeeding Peer Supporters with many years of experience of supporting mothers both in the antenatal and postnatal period. In November 2015, Breastfeeding Together became a Registered Charity no. 1164333.

 

The charity also signs up local businesses and organisations to its Breastfeeding Friendly Award scheme, which helps Breastfeeding mothers feel more confident about breastfeeding in public. Treetops signed up to the scheme in February, welcoming any mum who wishes to breastfeed in the play centre.

Breastfeeding Together Project Manager, Elinor Halliwell said: “Breastfeeding can be really tough in the early days, and new mums can find it very difficult without a good support base. Groups like this are key to helping mums connect and share experiences, while feeling supported and giving them the confidence to feed in public.”

“If you’re a breastfeeding mum, we’d love to meet you at our new group at Treetops, as well as any of our other groups across the Wigan borough.”

Breastfeeding rates across the UK are considerably lower than in other areas of the world. Around 80% of mums start out breastfeeding at birth but just 1 in 200 women are still breastfeeding their children after they reach their first birthday. The World Health Organisation (WHO) babies are fed exclusively breast milk for six months, then say breastfeeding should form part of the baby’s diet up to two years and beyond.

Breastfeeding Together’s mission is to improve rates through the Wigan Borough by supporting new mums. In addition to the breastfeeding support groups, the charity operates support on the ward at Wigan Hospital, runs an out of hours live chat service, and provides home visits within the community. Breastfeeding Peer Supporters and volunteers undergo a rigorous Level 2 training course so they can provide the most up to date information.

Breastfeeding Together’s support group at Treetops runs every Tuesday in term time from 12-2pm. It is free for mums with babies under 1, and a reduced rate of £2.75 for older children who wish to use the play equipment. There is an extensive menu, including gluten free options, available for mums who want to have lunch or tea/coffee at the venue.

Contact Breastfeeding Together on 01942 777903 for further information on this and all other Breastfeeding support groups.

For further information contact:

Breastfeeding Together

Wigan Investment Centre

Waterside Drive

Wigan

WN3 5BA

Telephone: 01942 777903