Image
The council has introduced the policy to support employees who are new mothers to feed their baby by making arrangements for breastfeeding or expressing milk. This approach builds on work the council is already carrying out to encourage early infant development and breastfeeding.
The policy supports the UNICEF UK Baby Friend Initiative Standards, with the council and Sirona Care & health’s health visiting and children’s centre services recently achieving revalidation of their Baby Friendly Initiative Gold status.
The council also runs the Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme which encourages venues such as cafés, restaurants and community facilities to register their active support and welcome mothers who wish to breastfeed in their premises.
Cllr Mike Bell, Executive Member with responsibility for public health said: “Both the World Health Organisation (WHO) and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) both recommend that babies are exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life, while continuing to breastfeed alongside solid foods for up to two years and beyond.
“Breastmilk provides up to half or more of a child’s nutritional needs during the second half of the first year, and up to one third during the second year of life. It also provides ongoing and up-to-date immunity for baby, a reduction in the risk for mum of breast and ovarian cancers, comfort and nurturing for mother and baby, and supports optimal brain development.
“We’re proud to be a baby friendly employer and hope this new policy will support new mothers to return to work while continuing to meet their baby’s needs, by making sure they can discuss arrangements for breastfeeding or expressing milk when they return to work, if they wish. Anecdotally I believe we’re one of only very few councils across the country to have an infant feeding policy.
“In North Somerset we know the number of women breastfeeding their babies in North Somerset has been slowly increasing. Around 25 percent of women are providing breastmilk for their babies one year after birth, which is why we think it’s important to support them in this way. We also hope that by introducing our staff infant feeding policy we’ll be able to encourage other employers and businesses across North Somerset to do the same.”
Cllr Bridget Petty who is also a trained and practising Breastfeeding Peer Supporter, helping support other mums with breastfeeding, added: “I’m delighted with the work done by the team to deliver this policy. As a Breastfeeding Peer Supporter I have studied all the benefits of breastfeeding for baby and mother.
“This policy is important so any working mother can choose when to finish breastfeeding, not be forced to when returning to work. A great and important job well done, I hope the council will share it widely and see it adopted by other employers across the area.”
Businesses who would like to find out more about becoming a Breastfeeding Welcome venue or employer can email the council’s public health team at breastfeeding.welcome@n-somerset.gov.uk.
The photograph shows Hayley, a member of council staff currently on maternity leave, with her baby Ruby who is very interested in the policy!