National Breastfeeding Celebration Week

May 31, 2020

National Breastfeeding Celebration Week begins tomorrow (1 June), and our Infant Feeding team has reported a rise in rates – partly linked to the coronavirus pandemic. Led by Louise Thompson, the team are continuing to support new mums by holding face-to-face and virtual clinics, giving them reassurance and advice. Rates have increased by 6 per cent to 86 per cent. Mums have told the team that they are able to spend more time at home practising and learning how to feed their babies.

Breastfeeding during the pandemic remains as important as ever, as an initial study of breast milk expressed by mothers recovering from COVID-19 found specific IgA antibodies against the virus in 80 per cent of milk samples. COVID-19 virus has not been found to be transmitted in breast milk, unlike other body fluids.

Please continue to support women to breastfeed if that is what they want to do, as it is designed to be protective – it isn’t just nutritional. When women are exposed to bacteria and viruses their body responds by sending specific antibodies to breastmilk. For more information on the protective nature of breastfeeding watch this film – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iqDX7Hojojk

For more information about all aspects of infant feeding including mixed feeding and formula feeding, please contact the Infant Feeding team on 07816061633. If you’ve had a difficult feeding experience, no matter when and would like someone to talk to about it you can contact Louise Thompson on 07976499507 or louisethompson@nhs.net.