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Mums take star role in breastfeedcampaign
TWO young South Yorkshire mums are proving breast is best by starring in a poster campaign to encourage others to do the same.
Kerry Williams, aged 24, and Stacey Newman, 19, were chosen to front the striking NHS Rotherham Be A Star campaign which is dedicated to getting more mums to breastfeed their babies.
It uses images of real Rotherham women breastfeeding, showcasing the confidence and pride that comes with it.
Rotherham has lower breastfeeding rates than the England and Wales average, with only 58 per cent of women breastfeeding their baby at birth and many having stopped by the time their baby is six weeks old.
The campaign is to inform young mums on how to breastfeed in public and give tips on the best places to feed, the clothes to wear, and the feeding positions to adopt, in a bid to make women feel more confident about breastfeeding outside the home.
Stacey, from Parkgate, who has a nine-month-old son called Rhys, said: "I'm really proud of being a mum but when I was pregnant I didn't really know much about breastfeeding. I read all the leaflets but there is nothing like chatting it through with other mums who are already doing it.
"I think pregnant women, or new mums who want to breastfeed, would find one of the NHS Rotherham breastfeeding support groups really helpful. I just wish I'd thought of going to one before my little boy was born!"
Kerry, from Blackburn, said: "Even though breastfeeding is the most natural thing in the world for me, it took a while to get used to feeding when I was out shopping or with friends.
"I didn't know where to go, what clothes to wear, or even how to lift my top up or down without flashing people! And I worried a lot about what other people thought.
"The campaign leaflets explain how I got the confidence to feed anywhere and give really good advice on how to handle those strange people who still think babies should be fed in a toilet."
NHS Rotherham Infant Feeding Coordinator Vicky Wilkinson said: "By launching the campaign we hope to raise awareness of breastfeeding in the borough, particularly among young women, and make people realise breastfeeding is not something women need to hide. It is an amazing achievement and women should be proud of it.
"Breastfeeding gives babies the best start in life and every day you breastfeed makes a difference to your baby's health. "
She said: "Women who breastfeed also find they return to their pre-pregnancy figure faster, as breastfeeding can burn an extra 500 calories a day.
"Breastfeeding also allows you and your baby to get closer, physically and emotionally, so while your child is feeding the bond between you can grow stronger."
Log on to www.beastar.org.uk or call Rotherham breastfeeding helpline on 01709 307959 for more advice.
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Thursday 09 February 2012
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