National Breastfeeding Week - Norfolk Mums

[LocalEditorNorfolk]

Mothers got together at the Castle Museum and Gallery in Norwich on Tuesday to take part in National Breastfeeding Celebration Week, a campaign to support breastfeeding: Wherever, Whenever, However. Over 60 mothers in Norfolk have volunteered to take part and lend their support.

Mothers from all over the county have taken photos of themselves feeding in their communities. This has included locations such as in libraries, market places, churches and even on the beach! The photos will be posted on social media via Norfolk’s Living Well Facebook and Twitter pages. They will also feature on GP surgery and pharmacy waiting room screens and Norfolk County Council screens.

Sam Osborne, 27 year-old mother of twins from Norwich, knows the challenges of feeding in public. Her twins were born premature and were too small to be breast fed. Bottle feeding breast milk meant Sam needed to use a pump to express milk when out with her babies. Her experiences of doing this in public has always been positive but felt other mums needed more confidence. She said: “We don’t always hear about mums who can’t feed from the breast and I wanted to support this campaign to let other mums know who may feel a failure. It’s important that mums hear my story and to know it’s okay.”

Mother of two, Amabel Gilding, also from Norwich, decided to join the campaign because of her past experiences breastfeeding in public with her first child. “I received some derogatory, negative comments when I was feeding my first child which was over four years ago now and want to urge mums not to be deterred – things have been much better with my second child. Perceptions seem to be changing and making it a normalised practice.

Margaret Dewsbury, Norfolk County Council’s Chairman of Communities said: “I think this campaign is a great opportunity for mums to come together and share their experiences and boost one another’s confidence. I look forward to the campaign’s next stage – encouraging women to express milk once they have returned to work.”

To showcase the ‘celebration’ mums have tweeted photos along with a caption to #whereverwheneverhowever to share their support.

To find out more about Wherever, Whenever, However please go to the Norfolk’s Living Well Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NorfolksLivingWell/?fref=ts

For details of Breastfeeding support in Norfolk - see
www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk/what-we-do/children-young-people-health-services/norfolk-breastfeeding-services