Breast feeding rates in Sandwell, although rising slightly, are still amongst the lowest in the country and NHS organisations are keen to make new mums aware of the wonderful benefits breast feeding can bring, both to them and their babies.
A recently awarded grant to City Hospital has come from Sandwell Primary Care Trust (PCT) in an effort to improve the breastfeeding rates of mothers from the Sandwell area, who have babies being cared for on the Neonatal Unit.
Louise Thompson, infant feeding advisor on the neonatal unit, explained: “We have been given a grant of £4000 in total to help get the very positive message about breast feeding across and help mums carry on feeding, even in the most difficult circumstances. The more breast milk a pre-term baby receives the better the outcome for health.”
Around £3000 of the grant cash will be used to help mums from Sandwell who have babies in the neo-natal unit at City Hospital to travel to and from the hospital without expense.
Louise said: “Sadly just the cost of bus fares or parking, and the time the travelling takes, can mean that some mums do not visit the neo natal unit as much as they would like, and as much as they need to establish breast feeding. Help with transport and costs can make all the difference.”
£1000 of the cash will also be used to fund several personal DVD players and televisions. These will be used to show mums the ‘Small Wonders’ DVD which has been created to support and educate parents of premature and sick babies through the highs and lows of their child’s first few months.
The film focuses on feeding development, breast feeding, skin to skin contact and the valuable role parents have in their child’s care. Louise explained: ”The films follow real families as they first meet, care for and then take their babies home. One mum, Vicki, whose son Jacob was born at just 27 weeks says how a film like this would have helped her at the start of her son’s life. It is well worth watching and we want to give as many people the opportunity to see it as we can.”
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