'It's important that mums can breastfeed in public venues'

Breastfeeding in public is protected by law and the Trust’s Infant Feeding Team is encouraging public venues to sign up to the Breastfeeding Friendly Places scheme to facilitate greater acceptance and increase the number of babies who are breastfed and breastfed for longer.

Katie Wharton, Infant Feeding Coordinator at Lancashire Care NHS Foundation Trust’s Infant Feeding Team, said: “It is really important that mums feel safe and supported to breastfeed in public. By signing up to the scheme, businesses are pledging their support to provide an environment that welcomes breastfeeding.

“ We provide all the information required to soon-to-be and new mums so they can make an informed decision on whether they would like to breastfeed their baby.

“Currently, we hear that one of the reasons mums chose not to breastfeed for as long as they would like to is that they feel uncomfortable and are made to feel unwelcome when out in public, and we hope that when people sign up to the scheme this will no longer be the case.” If you would like to sign up your organisation to the scheme visit www.lancashirecare.nhs.uk/IF .