Scottish Breastfeeding week ran from 9 to 15 June, and Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) staff were out and about promoting the benefits of breastfeeding and celebrating the twentieth anniversary of the Breastfeeding (Scotland) Act 2005.  

Breastfeeding is important to the health of both mother and baby. While many new mums start breastfeeding, some stop within a few weeks or months. This is often because they feel there’s a lack of support, particularly when they want to feed their baby outside their home.

To help mothers feel supported, our HSCP has been encouraging local businesses to sign up to the Breastfeeding Friendly Scotland Scheme (BFS).  

The scheme runs across Scotland to help provide breastfeeding families with positive experiences of breastfeeding when out and about in public areas. Businesses and organisations can actively support families to feed on their premises by signing up to the BFS Scheme and displaying their BFS sticker. This gives a visual reassurance that breastfeeding families will be welcomed, encouraging mums to feel relaxed and confident about breastfeeding on their premises.

Jacalyn McIIwham and Jodie McGregor from our HSCP’s South Health Improvement Team worked with Silverburn Shopping Centre during Breastfeeding Week. Jacalyn said: “Our staff work with mothers, their families, local communities and organisations to promote the benefits of breastfeeding and the importance of a healthy diet throughout early childhood. We’re delighted that Silverburn supports the scheme and supports mothers to breastfeed.

“We also ensure that organisations are aware of their rights and responsibilities in line with Scottish and UK legislation – Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 and the Equality Act 2010. The Breastfeeding Act makes it an offence to deliberately stop or attempt to stop a person from feeding a child in a public place.”

To date our HSCP staff have delivered Breastfeeding Friendly information sessions to over 201 organisations in Glasgow City reaching over 5,949 staff.

For more information about the scheme in Glasgow contact:

•    jacalyn.mcIlwham@nhs.scot for South Glasgow 
•    annette.dougan@nhs.scot for North West Glasgow
•    fiona.hughes@nhs.scot for North East Glasgow.

There’s also further information about the national scheme and how to sign up your business.