Get involved in World Breastfeeding Week in the East Riding this August

World Breastfeeding Week takes place annually, and this year falls on 1-7 August. This year’s theme is Protecting Breastfeeding: A Shared Responsibility.

To celebrate and join in with supporting and protecting breastfeeding, together with East Riding Children’s Centres, we are holding local breastfeeding events throughout the week in our Children Centre Breastfeeding Cafes.

Mums, babies, families and friends from across the East Riding are invited to take part, to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding and raise awareness of the local support available.

To find out where your nearest children’s centre is, click here. You can then contact your centre of choice to learn more about their plans and how you can get involved.

World Breastfeeding Week 2021 will focus on how breastfeeding contributes to the survival, health and wellbeing of all, and the imperative to protect breastfeeding worldwide.

East Riding Children’s Centres and our ISPHN services are accredited by the Gold Baby Friendly Initiative.

Our services protect and promote Breastfeeding by offering a variety of information and support to all families through our Ante-natal parent education sessions, Breastfeeding cafes, one to one support and a free specialist service delivered by IBCLC (lactation consultants), to support with any complex breastfeeding issues. 

An East Riding Breastfeeding Support website is set to be launched in the coming months, which will help to bring all of the information and support offered in the East Riding together in one easy to access resource.

Breastfeeding has long-term benefits for your baby, lasting into adulthood. Any amount of breast milk has a positive effect. The longer you breastfeed, the longer the protection lasts and the greater the benefits.

Breastfeeding can help to reduce your baby's risk of:

• infections, with fewer visits to hospital as a result
• diarrhoea and vomiting, with fewer visits to hospital as a result
• sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)
• obesity
• cardiovascular diseasein adulthood

Breastfeeding and making breast milk also has health benefits for mothers. The longer you breastfeed, the greater the benefits.

Breastfeeding lowers your risk of:

• breast cancer
• ovarian cancer
• osteoporosis (weak bones)
• cardiovascular disease
• obesity

For more information on feeding and caring for your baby, please contact your Midwife, Health Visitor or local Children’s Centre.