Hart District Council and Rushmoor Borough Council have joined forces to promote World Breastfeeding Week that runs from 1 to the 7 August 2016.
Hart District Council, Rushmoor Borough Council and NHS Southern Health carried out a joint survey in February with local mums
Compared to national research by Public Health England which found that 63% of breastfeeding mothers have received unsupportive comments whilst breastfeeding in public, 68% of mums responding to the local survey agreed that public buildings and businesses in Hart and Rushmoor provide a comfortable and supportive environment for breastfeeding. On their list of good places to breastfeed were coffee shops, libraries, garden centres and department stores.
The findings will be shared in a social media campaign during World Breastfeeding Week to raise awareness of mothers’ rights to breastfeed in public, encourage mums to share information about great places to breastfeed in the area, and signpost mums to breastfeeding support.
Speaking about the campaign, Cllr Anne Crampton, Community Wellbeing Cabinet Member at Hart District Council said: “It’s important that mums who choose to breastfeed can do so in a supportive environment. We would encourage businesses to make sure their staff are aware of the rights of breastfeeding mothers and welcoming to anyone who wishes to breastfeed while using their services.”
Mums have a legal right to breastfeed anytime and anywhere. The law says no-one can ask a woman to leave a public place because she is breastfeeding.
