The East Yorkshire Big Breastfeed

East Riding is celebrating being breastfeeding friendly this World Breastfeeding Week with a Big Breastfeed.

World Breastfeeding Week, 1-7 August, provides an opportunity to highlight and celebrate East Riding’s Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme and the support available to breastfeeding parents. As part of this a variety of events are taking place that families can get involved in.

On Friday 2 August the Children’s Centres, with support from Humber NHS Integrated Specialist Public Health Nurses, are hosting a series of events from 10am which families are invited to join:

Bridlington – North Side Beach Huts
Goole – West Park
West Wolds – Madhyamaka Kadampa Meditation Centre
Withernsea – Lighthouse Gardens
Beverley – Flemingate Retail Area
Haltemprice – Well Being Hub, Country Park, Humber Bridge
Hornsea – Hornsea Café Mondo
Families can just turn up to these events, there is no need to book. Parents can bring along a picnic and celebrate their breastfeeding journey.

East Riding Children’s centre, libraries and leisure centres all offer a welcome and comfortable space to feed babies. The children’s centres have funded breastfeeding children’s books, along with an evidence-based book to support families throughout their breastfeeding journey. The books are available to loan from all 22 East Riding libraries.

Businesses across the East Riding have also been encouraged to sign up to the Breastfeeding Friendly Network’s scheme and display window stickers and posters promoting that they are a breastfeeding friendly venue.

Councillor Victoria Aitken, Cabinet Member for children, families and education said: “In East Riding, we want all new parents to feel welcome to feed their babies in all council and health buildings, and in public spaces. Breastfeeding is good for mums and babies, and we want to remove any barrier for parents to feed when they’re out and about enjoying all the East Riding has to offer.

“In the UK, eight out of ten women stop breastfeeding before they wanted to. In the East Riding, we want to create a welcoming and supportive community for all families. World Breastfeeding Week and the Big Breastfeed provides a chance for us to shout about that!”