This year, our amazing teams have launched a breastfeeding campaign to encourage and support more mums to breastfeed!

This year’s campaign kicked off in Cwm with a visit from Television personality and breastfeeding champion Ferne McCann! Ferne met with mums at the local flying start hub to highlight the benefits of breastfeeding.

Ferne had this to say about her visit to Cwm:

‘It was a real pleasure to visit Cwm today to get behind the launch of the Get Blaenau Gwent breast feeding campaign.

There are loads of reasons why some mums choose not to breast feed, but one of the biggest reasons seems to be a lack of support and confidence.  I hope that this campaign will encourage young mums in Blaenau Gwent to get the right help to overcome of the one of the biggest hurdles for mums wanting to give it a try - lack of support.

There’s so much to navigate when you begin your breast-feeding journey but on the other side is pure joy, convenience and the great health benefits and I am sure that this campaign will bring these benefits to life.’

Cwm was featured on an episode on Ferne McCann’s ‘My Family & Me’ in April. You can catch up on all episodes on ITVx now!

 

But why is this campaign so important?

Blaenau Gwent has the one of lowest breast-feeding rates when compared to the rest of Wales and the UK. The joint campaign with Aneurin Bevan University Health Board is focussed on increasing breastfeeding rates. A recent infant feeding survey identified some of the common barriers to breastfeeding and this information will be used to better inform mums and expectant mums targeted by the strategy and campaign this year.

There are lots of benefits to breastfeeding as well! For mothers it reduces the risk of ovarian and breast cancer, diabetes and heart disease.  There are also health benefits for babies as it reduces the risk of some common infections like ear, respiratory, gastrointestinal as well reducing some of the risks of overweight and obesity. It also helps to reduce other risks like SIDS, type 1 diabetes and asthma.

Another big benefit of breastfeeding is its free! It can cost between £33 and £80 a month to feed your little one on just formula. Breast feeding also helps bonding and attachment between mum and baby which promotes brain development and emotional regulation of the infant.