Child and Maternal Health

Scottish Breastfeeding Awareness Week 18-22 June 2018

June 19, 2018 by Anne Dagg No Comments | Category breastfeeding, Nutrition

Scottish Breastfeeding Awareness Week takes place every year in June and is an opportunity for organisations and groups to show their support for breastfeeding.

The Scottish Government is committed to supporting breastfeeding and the Programme for Government 2017-18 made a commitment to increase resources for breastfeeding to support mothers, particularly in the days immediately following birth, and support the maternal and infant nutrition framework.

Aileen Campbell, Minister for Public Health and Sport, has issued the following message about breastfeeding:  https://twitter.com/scotgovhealth/status/1008638509639438336

In Scotland breastfeeding and bottle feeding are both protected by the Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Act 2005

In Scotland breastfeeding and bottle feeding are both protected by the Breastfeeding etc (Scotland) Act 2005 and If a person deliberately prevents or stops someone from feeding a child under the age of two in a public place in Scotland they are committing a criminal offence. If a mother is asked to move to another part of the premises, or leave the premises completely this is also an offence. This applies to places that the mother and child has the legal right to be in.

Breastfeeding in Scotland on the increase

In February, the Scottish Government published the first Scottish Maternal and Infant Nutrition Survey which found 43% of mums are continuing to breastfeed up to six months after birth, compared to 32% in 2010.

Local activities

NHS Lanarkshire’s Lanarkshire Breastfeeding initiative is a great example of a local project which is supporting breastfeeding. Almost 500 venues in Lanarkshire have signed up to this Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme. You can follow the LBI in Twitter to show your support https://twitter.com/The_LBI

Other activities will be happening across Scotland and we will be back to catch up on the Week’s activities next week.

For breastfeeding support contact the National Breastfeeding Helpline Tel: 0300 100 0212 or visit the Scottish National Breastfeeding website Feedgood which offers useful advice and links to other resources for pregnant women and new mothers. www.feedgood.scot

Tags: Breastfeeding, Nutrition, support for families

Comments