Breastfeeding mums celebrate peer support achievements
A group of mums who have breastfed their babies and now offer support to others will celebrate their achievements with a thank you celebration from the local NHS.
The 10 women, aged 16 to 35, have been trained by Caroline Leiper of Bradford Council and Flora Jennings of Keighley Healthy Living to become breastfeeding peer counsellors - delivering support and information to teenage and other breastfeeding mums across the district.
A celebratory lunch event will be held on 26 January where the women will be presented with their certificates from NHS Bradford and Airedale’s public health consultant and chair of the Every Baby Matters scheme, Shirley Brierley.
Nicola Corrigan, young parent’s support coordinator for NHS Bradford and Airedale, said: ‘It is really important that these women’s achievements are celebrated. They relate so well to other mums and mums-to-be because they’ve been in exactly the same situation and know how to deal with it.
“Some women find breastfeeding difficult but with the support and encouragement of our peer working mums they may find the whole experience easier and they may have a better chance of continuing to breastfeed.”
The 10 peer supporters work alongside numerous children's centres and voluntary organisations delivering support and information to other mums about the benefits of breastfeeding. The real life experience of these mums often helps to encourage others to keep trying.
26th January 2011
