Breastfeeding and breastfeeding support in Derby
Why choose to breastfeed?
It is a choice. Your choice for you and your family.
Breastfeeding has long-term benefits for you and your baby. The benefits include:
- Infant health - breastfeeding protects children from a vast range of illnesses: infection, diabetes, asthma, heart disease and obesity, as well as cot death (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome).
- Maternal health - breastfeeding protects mothers from breast and ovarian cancers and heart disease.
- Relationship-building - breastfeeding supports the mother-baby relationship and the mental health of both baby and mother.
Breast milk is always the right temperature, clean and perfectly timed to your infant's feeding needs over the course of a single feed and as the baby grows.
Further information about breastfeeding and the benefits of breastfeeding can be found on the NHS website - Benefits of breastfeeding
In our community:
- 7 out of 10 women give their baby breast milk when they were born.
- 8 out of 10 women who breastfeed, stop before they want to.
- Only 4 out of 10 babies are still receiving breast milk at 6 weeks old.
We want to support mums to continue breastfeeding for as long as they choose.
Breastfeeding support in Derby
We work in partnership with children's centres, NHS, and other local agencies to support your breastfeeding journey.
We commission public health services for pregnant women, babies and children across the city. This includes the midwifery and health visiting services, which have trained staff to support breastfeeding mums and have achieved the Baby Friendly Initiative.
In the community, we have several routes of breastfeeding support services, including:
- the Infant Feeding team: who help parents and carers with making informed decisions on feeding their babies, supporting them to achieve their feeding goals. Providing care that is, mother / carer and family centred, non-judgemental and which supports and respects the individual's decision
- established breastfeeding champions in our city’s children’s centres
- breastfeeding clubs and clinics
- antenatal ‘feeding your baby’ sessions.
For more information about any of these routes, please telephone the Health Visiting team or Infant Feeding team on 0300 1234586 (select option 3).
Parents can also text the Chat Health number 07507 327754.
Promoting a breastfeeding-friendly Derby
We are committed to helping change perceptions around breastfeeding and supporting families to make informed decisions.
Our goal is to create a city where families feel welcome to feed their babies and feel confident to breastfeed for as long as they choose.
How you and your community can make a difference.
Friends and family can:
- offer emotional support to the parents by encouraging them to discuss any questions or worries about breastfeeding: it's normal to feel sad, stressed, confused, or scared
- offer practical support: help with older children, household chores or take the baby out for a walk to allow parents to get some sleep.
- share and participate in peer support sessions at your local children's centre. The NHS offer telephone support, virtual support, home and office visits. Breastfeeding clinics are other great sources of support and guidance. You can get more information from the Health Visiting team or Infant Feeding team, telephone 0300 1234586 (select option 3). Parents can also text Chat Health on 07507 327754
- recommend a facility where you have felt comfortable breastfeeding; send an email to breastfeedingwelcome@derby.gov.uk.
Businesses:
- Does your business normalise and support breastfeeding everywhere? Create breastfeeding-friendly spaces at your pub, restaurant, café, doctor's surgery or shop and sign up to become a 'Breastfeeding Welcome Here' venue.
- Promote a baby-friendly workplace practice. Managers can support new parents by helping them plan the transition back to work and providing the space and time required for breastfeeding or expressing. Employers and colleagues can speak up to actively support breastfeeding parents.
- Advocate within your community and help champion change. Do breastfeeding mothers feel comfortable in your business place?
- Do public places such as parks, outdoor venues or local beauty spots offer a private, safe, and clean area to breastfeed if needed? This could be a bench, chair or shaded area.
Find out more about becoming a 'Breastfeeding Welcome Here' venue.
'Breastfeeding Welcome Here' venues in Derby
We are working with local businesses across the city to showcase our breastfeeding friendly culture. Some of the Breastfeeding Welcome Here venues in Derby include:
Family and children's centres
- Audrey Drive Children's Centre
- Austin and Sunnyhill Children's Centre
- Becket Children's Centre
- Boulton Children's Centre
- Derwent Family Centre
- Mackworth Morley Children's Centre
- Osmaston Allenton Children's Centre
- Rosehill Children's Centre
- Sinfin Children's Centre
Find a 'Breastfeeding Welcome Here' venue in Derbyshire
You can find a 'Breastfeeding Welcome Here' venue on the Derbyshire Healthcare Support website. Enter a postcode or location to find the nearest venue.
How to become a 'Breastfeeding Welcome Here' venue
Businesses who actively make their premises welcome for mothers and families to breastfeed can positively contribute to a woman feeling more confident to breastfeed in public.
This is not only good for mum and baby, but it’s great for business too.
- It attracts families by making them feel welcome and they may be more likely to stay longer and spend more.
- Breastfeeding mums are more likely to return to venues they feel comfortable in.
- It provides improved customer service.
- It receives good publicity.
- It attracts new customers.
Breastfeeding has lifelong health benefits for both mother and baby. If your business signs up for the award, you will be contributing to bettering the health of people in Derby.
Apply to be awarded 'Breastfeeding Welcome Here'
The scheme is free to join.
The application process may involve a brief inspection of your premises. You can achieve the award if you:
- provide a comfortable place for women to breastfeed; it doesn’t need to be a separate room but it should never be a toilet
- treat breastfeeding mums the same way you would any other customer
- commit to providing informal training for your staff to be supportive of breastfeeding, and know how to react to both positive and negative comments from other customers.
- display your certificate and window sticker to show that you welcome breastfeeding.