Breastfeeding Support

Breastfeeding gives babies the best start in life

Breastfeeding is natural and normal and gives your baby the best start. The Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first six months of life. Breastfeeding alongside the weaning process can continue to benefit your baby for many months after. Every day you breast feed makes a difference to your baby’s health, now and in the future.

For babies:

• Breast milk provides perfect nutrition for babies first 6 months.
• Breastfeeding protects against stomach bugs and chest infections.
• Breastfeeding may reduce the risk of children developing allergies.

For mothers:

• Breastfeeding can reduce the risk of pre-menopausal breast cancer, ovarian and cervical cancer.
• Breastfeeding helps develop a strong emotional bond with their child.
• Breastfeeding can help mums to regain their shape.

If you have any questions on feeding your baby, such as:

• Worry about sore nipples,
• Not sure how to express milk,
• Going back to work and want to carry on feeding,

there is help at hand.

BREAST START

Breast Start aims to provide information and support to mums who are breastfeeding or who want to breastfeed. We are happy to work with the whole family to help make your breastfeeding experience successful and positive.

We are able to do this through:

• Telephone, text, and email advice and support.
• Drop-in support and social groups.
• Antenatal education at parent-craft sessions (ask your local Children’s Centre for more details)
• One-to-one home visits before or after your baby is born.
• Breastfeeding workshops focusing on the practical side of breast feeding, which we can offer towards the end of your pregnancy.

We have nine Breastfeeding Support Workers and numerous volunteers working throughout Sefton, including Bootle, Seaforth, Netherton, Maghull and Southport. These Support Workers have undergone La Leche League training, and also have a wealth of personal breastfeeding experience between them. If you would like more information on Breast Start volunteering contact Clare Armor on 0151 291 8024 or 07961253042.

Antenatal Services

We firmly believe that education during the antenatal period will help to prepare you and build your confidence for when baby arrives. We can offer antenatal breastfeeding support during your pregnancy in the following ways:

Parent Craft

Each Children's Centre runs parent education sessions on a regular basis. One of our Breastfeeding Support Workers will deliver a session on the benefits of breastfeeding during the parent craft course.

Breastfeeding Workshops

Breastfeeding Workshops provide practical information about positioning and attachment, what to expect in the early days of feeding your baby, how the breasts work to make milk, and other issues that we feel will help you to be more confident about nursing your baby in the early days. We welcome women in the late stages of pregnancy, and encourage a supportive partner to come along too!

Home Visits

If you are unable to attend a workshop but would like more information, we will be happy to visit you at home before your baby is born.

Postnatal Services

One-to-one Support

After your baby is born, we can offer one-to-one support via home visits, text, telephone and email.

If you have any questions at all regarding breastfeeding, no matter how minor they seem, we encourage you to contact us. We have experience in offering information on a huge range of issues, for example positioning and attaching baby at the breast, sore nipples, slow weight gain, thrush, fussiness, expressing, returning to work etc.

Even if you feel that everything is going fine, we are happy just to provide you with encouragement and reassurance that you are doing well!

Support Groups and Baby Clinics

You are welcome to come along to any of the Breastfeeding Groups; you do not need to book in advance. Each group has a Breastfeeding Support Worker available for advice; some of the groups are run at a similar time to the Postnatal Baby Clinics held by Health Visitors.

You don’t need to have a breastfeeding problem to attend the groups— they are a great way to socialise and meet other new parents!

Breastfeeding Groups

May Logan
Monday 1.00-3.00pm
Knowsley Road, Bootle, L20 5DQ
Tel: 0151 922 8588
(Midwife present)

Netherton Children's Centre
First Tuesday of every month 1.30pm-3.00pm
Magdalen Square, Netherton, L30 5QH
Tel: 0151 282 1405

Waterloo Children's Centre
Monday 9.30-11.00am
Crosby Road North, Waterloo, L22 0LD
Tel: 0151 928 6539
(Midwife present)

Hudson Road Children's Centre
Thursday 11.30am-1.00pm
Moorhey Road, Maghull L31 5LE
Tel: 0151 531 0117
(Lunch provided)

Freshfield Children's Centre
Tuesday 10.30am-12.00pm
Friday 10.30am-12.00pm
Watchyward Lane, Formby, L37 3JT
Tel: 01704 876567

Linaker Street Children's Centre
Tuesday 1.00pm-2.30pm
Linaker Street, Southport, PR8 5DP
Tel: 01704 532343

Parenting 2000 Children's Centre
Friday 12.30pm-2.00pm
Mornington Road, Southport, PR9 0TS
Tel: 01704 380047

Canning Road Chapel
Friday 9.30am-11am
Canning Road, Southport PR9 7SS
Tel: 01704 532343

Cafe @ Dobbies Garden World
Friday 9.30am-11am
Benthams Way, Southport PR8 4HX
Tel:01704 552920
(Free hot drink for Breastfeeding Mothers)

YOU CAN NOW FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK!

Our Contact Details

For information, advice and support please call:

0151 291 8024 Weekdays 9.00am - 5.00pm

OR

07582908672 Weekdays 5.00pm - 7.00pm & Weekends 11.00am - 4.00pm

For information about antnatal support see our leaflet.

Useful Information & Contacts

Netherton Feelgood Factory

Tel: 0151 291 8010

Breast Milk - It's Amazing!

www.amazingbreastmilk.nhs.uk/

Healthy Sefton

Tel: 0300 100 1000

NHS Breastfeeding Support

Tel: 0300 100 0212

www.breastfeeding.nhs.uk/

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers

Tel: 0207 813 1481

www.abm.me.uk/

Breastfeeding Network

Tel: 0870 900 8787

www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/

National Childbirth Trust

Tel: 0870 444 8708

www.nctpregnancyandbabycare.com/home