FROME is leading the way in breastfeeding support for new mothers after a group of local women were the first to be trained by the county council under a new health scheme.
Seven Frome women have undertaken ‘Breastfeeding Champion for Somerset Partnership’ training provided by health visitors from Somerset County Council.
The training has been introduced to provide support to new mothers wishing to breastfeed their babies, following cuts in funding and staffing for breastfeeding support in Somerset in 2015.
Frome has been chosen as the first area in the county to receive this new training, thanks to the involvement of local National Childbirth Trust (NCT) volunteers in an infant feeding conference held by the county council last year.
Jessica Slater, who won the NCT Stars ‘South West Volunteer of the Year Award 2016’, was one of those trained and said, “Through volunteering with NCT and talking to mothers at lots of baby and toddler groups, I feel strongly that Frome needs a great support network of breastfeeding mothers who can provide encouragement and confidence to others through their breastfeeding journeys and help them to overcome common problems.
“The training also gives us the information we need to signpost to other services and communicate with health professionals in Somerset. It’s too often the case that women stop breastfeeding because of inadequate support, rather than personal choice.
“I’m thrilled to have had the opportunity to participate in this training day.”
Frome NCT is planning to set up a regular ‘baby café’ in the town later in 2017, to provide support to local women at a free drop-in group.
Some of the newly-trained volunteers already give their time to the La Leche League group that meets at the scout hut on Welshmill Lane and the breastfeeding group at the Key Centre every Wednesday from 10am to 11.30am.
Further information about the new baby cafe will be on the Frome NCT Facebook page later in the year.
