The Bosom Babies breastfeeding group held a relaunch event on 1 July to mark the group’s move to a new venue.

Bosom Babies, which has been offering breastfeeding support and advice to new mums in the Blaby, Oadby and Wigston areas of Leicester for the past nine years, is now offering a weekly meet up at Leicester Forest East library (76 Rushmore Walk, LE3 3PD) every Monday morning from 10.30am – 12 noon. The group was previously based at the Braunstone Town Children and Family Wellbeing Centre. Bosom Babies is very grateful that the library has offered them an alternative venue now that the room at the Children’s Centre is no longer available. The library is a short walk from Hinckley Road, which is served by regular bus routes. There is also a small car park outside the library and plenty of on street parking close by.  Bosom Babies is a thriving group, run by volunteer breastfeeding peer supporters trained by Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT)’s infant feeding team. Claire Sceeny, one of the volunteers who has helped run Bosom Babies virtually since inception explains: “The training enables us to provide advice on all aspects of breastfeeding, from how to latch a baby on to the breast to the emotional impact that breastfeeding can have on women. Breastfeeding can sometimes be difficult, and without help and encouragement many new mums give up. Personally I have got so much from the Bosom Babies group. It’s so rewarding when people recommend us to their friends and tell us how much we have helped them.”

Donna, one of the group’s regulars has been attending the weekly drop-in sessions since her daughter Lucy, now ten months, was just days old. She said: “At the start Lucy was slow to gain weight, and I was worried. Bosom Babies were so friendly and welcoming. They gave me confidence to persevere with breastfeeding and referred me to LPT’s infant feeding team for further help. In the early days, the group was a real ‘sanity check’ and enabled me to connect with other new mums.”

Breastfeeding has a range of health benefits for both mothers and babies. Breastfed babies are less likely to suffer from gastro-intestinal, respiratory, urinary tract and ear infections. They are less likely to have asthma, eczema, food allergies and diabetes. The danger of obesity in later childhood is also lessened by breastfeeding. At the same time, mothers who breastfeed may find it easier to return to their prepregnancy weight and are less likely to develop breast and ovarian cancers.

Advice on all aspects of infant feeding is provided on LPT’s Health for Under 5s website (www.healthforunder5s.co.uk), and you can find out more about Bosom Babies at www.bosombabies.co.uk and via their Facebook page. Bosom Babies’ Wigston Magna group, which currently runs at the Wigston Magna Children and Family Wellbeing Centre, will move to the library in Wigston Magna (Bull Head Street LE18 1PA) from 25 July, and will run every Thursday from 12.45pm – 2.15pm. A similar relaunch event is planned on 25 July for that group, and all new and expectant mums planning to breastfeed are welcome.

NOTES TO EDITORS

  • Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust (LPT) provides community health, mental health and learning disabilities services for the one million people living in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. We have a budget in excess of £275 million and employ approximately 5,500 staff. For more information visit: www.leicspart.nhs.uk. Our registered charity is called Raising Health (charity number 1057361). The charity fundraises to support excellent care initiatives, equipment and innovations which go above and beyond core NHS provision to enhance the experience of our patients, service users and staff. See www.raisinghealth.org.uk
  • Healthy Together is the name for LPT’s 0-19 public health nursing offer for children, young people and families across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland. Healthy Together has developed the Health for Under 5s website (www.healthforunder5s.co.uk) for parents and carers. Lots of advice and information on all aspects of infant feeding is available on the site.  You can also find full details of all breastfeeding peer support groups across Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland at www.leicspart.nhs.uk/infantfeeding
  • For further information contact: Rosie Huckle, Communications Manager for Families, Young People and Children’s Services, Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust, Tel: 0116 2950924, Email: rosie.huckle@leicspart.nhs.uk