Teletubby promotes breastfeeding

Reporter: Paul Finnerty
Date online: 02 July 2010

Mums, babies and toddlers were joined by a pink Teletubby for a recent pram push and picnic in Heaton Park, Prestwich, to celebrate National Breastfeeding Awareness Week.

The event, arranged by Val Finigan MBE, infant feeding coordinator at Pennine Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, was the first of a series of activities held by the Trust and local midwives to mark the national campaign.

Breastfeeding rates in the UK are among the poorest in Europe, which Ms Finigan warns against.

She said: “There are a lot of myths out there about breastfeeding. Culturally we are a bottle-feeding nation, especially in the North West. Women already come into the hospital with misunderstandings about feeding.

“We have to try and get the information across in a balanced way in order to reduce the risks of them feeling threatened or guilty, they have to feel totally supported and empowered to make an informed choice about feeding. We also promote the use of immediate skin-to-skin contact for both breast and bottle-fed babies and encourage this to be used in an uninterrupted and prolonged way.”