News from Sheffield Labour

Labour MP offers support to breastfeeding awareness week

Local Peer support group visited by Angela Smith MP.

Angela Smith MP dropped into the Breastfeeding Peer Support Group at Stocksbridge library on Monday 11th May to show her support for breastfeeding and National Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2009. The group meets every Monday 10am-12 at Stocksbridge library and is one of a growing number of such groups across Sheffield. Women attending the group can get skilled breastfeeding help to overcome difficulties or many just come to get together with other Mums and make new friends.

The theme this year was ‘Everyday makes a difference to your baby’. Each day that a woman continues to breastfeed increases the health benefits for her and her baby but many women in England stop breastfeeding before they had planned because of problems. Breastfeeding problems can be avoided or overcome with the right information and the skilled help that is available at these support groups. If mums receive support – whether it be from a friend or family member, a healthcare professional, or volunteer breastfeeding supporter, they are likely to breastfeed for longer, giving them and their child important health benefits.

Local Mum Claire Jackson said:

“Coming to the breastfeeding group has really helped to build my confidence to keep breastfeeding and now my baby is really thriving and growing well.”

Commenting Angela added:

“I was so pleased to offer my support to this local group and help make more mums aware of the advantages to both their babies and themselves of breastfeeding. The Government is trying to do all it can to encourage and support breastfeeding and to promote wider social acceptance for such an important health issue. These support groups play a vital role in supporting mothers to face the challenges that breastfeeding may bring be they practical, emotional or social.”

One of the main difficulties for breastfeeding mothers is finding comfortable places to feed their baby when they are out and about and some mothers report having been harassed for breastfeeding in public. The group members presented Angela with letters urging her to support the breastfeeding clauses within the Equality Bill due for a second reading in Parliament on the 11th May. These clauses prevent a woman being treated less favourably because she is breastfeeding.

The Stocksbridge Breastfeeding Peer Support Group will be moving to Stocksbridge Children’s Centre, Manchester Road from Monday 1st June. Pregnant and new breastfeeding Mums are all welcome.

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