MIDWIVES and midwifery assistants at Okehampton Maternity Unit have been taking time out from planning their move to the new Okehampton Community Hospital to support National Breastfeeding Awareness Week.
Young mums have been able to get help and advice at Lloyds Chemists, Fore Street, Okehampton, where the midwives have set up a stall during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week, running today and tomorrow.
Midwifery assistants Sue Martin and Sarah Tabiner have compiled a leaflet for new mothers with details of places to go where breastfeeding mothers are welcome and where facilities are baby and child friendly. Visitors to the pharmacy will be able to pick up one of the leaflets and find out more about the health benefits of breastfeeding for both mother and child.
Statistics for the Okehampton area in 2002 show 86% of mothers started breastfeeding and at two weeks, 73% were exclusively breastfeeding and another 5% were partially breastfeeding. This figure is significantly higher than the national average across England and Wales.