Breastfeeding Awareness Week
Breastfeeding Awareness Week is this week and in truly Western style, I would ask that we could all come together and make this a very worthwhile week for families, particularly here in Fermanagh and Omagh. We can all become involved in some way, large or small in the theme for this year which is “What can you do to support a woman to breastfeed?”
This is a call to action from across the West for various organisations to support a woman to breastfeed as they fully understand that if a mother feels supported by her partner, family, workplace and the wider community we are all making breastfeeding more acceptable and encouraging mothers to breastfeed for longer.
The first to lead this call is Fermanagh & Omagh District Council who have led the way by agreeing to join the Western Trust scheme ‘Breastfeeding Welcome Here’ and to mark this, have lit up Enniskillen Castle and The Strule Arts Centre. The Council are also holding a reception, hosted by Mary Garitty, Chairperson, for the babies, mothers, staff, volunteers and supporters of the ever more successful Breast Friends Group who meet on a Thursday in Darling Street, who are doing amazing work at pushing up our rates of sustained breastfeeding.
Open Invitation
If you, a parent / representative of your organisation to support our local mothers and encourage new members and attend the reception at:
1.15pm on Thursday 23rd June, 2016, Enniskillen Town Hall.
Alternatively, you may wish to attend the event being organised in the Bawnacre Leisure Centre, Irvinestown on Friday 24th with more details below of all the interesting information stands and workshops that will be shared with families.
If you cannot attend any of these events you can still be involved by encouraging your community, team, colleagues or organisation in this week to think about how they can increasingly support women:
- Participating in Breastfeeding Welcome Here Initiative
- Develop policy for breastfeeding mothers returning to work
- Provide space for mothers to express or breastfeed.
- Signpost/promote to breastfeeding groups and other support.
- Allow time to attend antenatal classes.
- Listen to mothers.
Please let Sarah Davidson sarah.davidson@westerntrust.hscni.net know how you have become involved this week or would like to be involved in the future and look out for messages that can be resent on your social media sites.