Derby City Council and breastfeeding mums have joined together to call on businesses and community spaces to become breastfeeding-friendly places in Derby and Derbyshire. The call comes ahead of World Breastfeeding Week, taking place on 1-7 August.

The Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme forms a part of the For You and Baby project which supports families in Derby and Derbyshire through pregnancy and early years. Mums and babies gathered as part of the For You and Baby project last week at the QUAD.  The contemporary arts centre has become the first venue in Derby City to receive the Breastfeeding Welcome Here award, making it the ideal place to campaign for more breastfeeding-friendly venues in the city.

Claire Higginson, a 34-year-old breastfeeding mum from Chaddesden, says she purposefully seeks out venues she knows support breastfeeding on their premises.

“It’s really important to find places where you feel comfortable” the mum-of-two explains.

Around 8 in 10 women stop breastfeeding earlier than they would like to due to feeling self-conscious breastfeeding in public, according to a survey by Start4Life, it is an issue particularly prevalent amongst first-time mums.

“For new mums, it’s reassuring to know that you’re in a supportive environment,” says Bee Walsh-Creed, who attended the gathering with her son Alistair.

“If a place was breastfeeding-accredited it would definitely encourage me to go there.”

 Derby City Council’s Cabinet Member for Children and Young People, Cllr Evonne Williams, said:

I want all new mums’ in Derby to feel confident and comfortable to feed their children and so I hope that all the cafés, shops and other venues across the city sign up to the ‘Breastfeeding Welcome Here’ Award.

The mums at last week’s gathering hope other venues in the City and the County will follow in the QUAD’s footsteps and work to become friendly spaces for mums to breastfeed.

Or, as Bee says: “In the future I hope there isn’t any need to raise awareness of breastfeeding-friendly places, because mums won’t have to think twice about breastfeeding in public.”

For businesses and venues interested in obtaining a Breastfeeding Welcome Here award for the premises, visit the Derby City Council website or email breastfeedingwelcome@derby.gov.uk.

For more information about World Breastfeeding Week visit https://worldbreastfeedingweek.org