NHS Forth Valley's health visiting service receives Baby Friendly Award

The number of women in Forth Valley who are breastfeeding six weeks after giving birth has increased by more than five per cent.
The award was presented at a breast feeding support group in Clackmannanshire.The award was presented at a breast feeding support group in Clackmannanshire.
The award was presented at a breast feeding support group in Clackmannanshire.

And this figure has helped NHS Forth Valley’s community health visiting service to earn a Baby Friendly Award from Unicef.

The award was presented to the health board’s general manager, Kathy O’Neill, by Anne Tainsh, professional lead for Scotland for the UNICEF Baby Friendly initiative recently.

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The Baby Friendly Initiative, set up by Unicef and the World Health Organisation, is a global programme which provides a practical and effective way for health services to improve the care provided for all mothers and babies.

Kathy said she was “delighted” to receive the award on behalf of the community health visiting service.

She said: “The team offer practical and emotional support to enable local women across Forth Valley to help them feel more confident and comfortable to breastfeed.

“This support and encouragement is having a real impact on local women and is helping to improve our local breastfeeding rates.”

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In the UK, the initiative works with public services to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships.

Support for these relationships is important for all babies, not only those who are breastfed and the award is given to health facilities after an assessment by Unicef has shown recognised best practice standards are in place.

Morag Mackellar, NHS Forth Valley’s maternal and infant nutrition public health lead, said: “We decided to join forces with Unicef’s UK Baby Friendly Initiative to increase breastfeeding rates and to improve care for all mothers in NHS Forth Valley.

“Regardless of how a mother chooses to feed, she can be sure that she will be supported to form a strong loving relationship with her newborn baby.”

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Sue Ashmore, Unicef UK Baby Friendly Initiative programme director, added: “We are delighted that NHS Forth Valley’s Community Health Visiting Service has achieved full Baby Friendly status.

“Surveys show us that most mothers want to breastfeed but don’t always get the support they need. Mothers in NHS Forth Valley can be confident that their midwives and health visitors will provide high standards of care.”

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