World Breastfeeding Week 2022

World Breastfeeding Week takes place annually, and this year falls on 1 - 7 August.

This year’s theme is ‘Step Up for Breastfeeding: Educate and Support’ with the aim to strengthen capacity to protect, promote and support breastfeeding across different levels of society.

It is recognised that education and support will improve nutrition, food security and help to reduce inequalities following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Get involved this Breastfeeding Week

To celebrate our vital teams and support the global effort to protect and enlighten the importance of breastfeeding, we are working with the East Riding Children’s Centres to hold local breastfeeding events throughout the week.

As part of this, we will also host the East Yorkshire Big Breastfeed on Friday 5^th August 2022 at 11:00am.

The centres will play a role amongst other local outdoor venues to provide a safe and welcoming facility for new mothers to attend with their babies, families and friends from across the region.

Join the East Yorkshire Big Breastfeed by bringing a picnic to one of the following locations:

• Beverley, Flemingate
• Bridlington, North Side Beach
• Cottingham Children’s Centre
• Driffield, Highfield House
• Goole, West Park
• Hull, Queens Gardens
• Skipsea, Mr Moo’s Ice Cream Parlour
• Withernsea, Lighthouse Gardens

Find your nearest Children’s Centre and more about these events on the website here.

We encourage anyone who requires breastfeeding support or wishes to connect with others and celebrate the occasion to come along and take part. We would also like to reach out to our colleagues in the NHS and partner organisations, to help us raise awareness and get involved in the cause.

Get involved on social media using the hashtag #WBW2022 or follow our content along on Twitter @HumberNHSFT.

What are the benefits of breastfeeding?

Breastfeeding has long-term benefits for mothers and their babies, lasting right into adulthood. Any amount of breast milk has a positive effect, the longer the duration of breastfeeding, 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 disease in adulthood

Breastfeeding lowers your risk of:

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

What support is available in the East Riding of Yorkshire?

Our Trust’s Integrated Specialist Public Health Nursing (ISPHN) service and East Riding Children’s Centres are accredited by UNICEF as Gold Baby Friendly Initiatives.

Our services protect and promote breastfeeding by offering a variety of information and support to all families. This includes initiatives such as 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.

Find out more about our breastfeeding support here: https://humberisphn.nhs.uk/east-yorkshire-breastfeeding-support/