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Northern Ireland businesses welcome breastfeeding
mums
A number of local businesses across Northern Ireland, including
hairdressers, coffee shops and restaurants, have signed up
to a scheme to support breastfeeding mums in their local
community. The Breastfeeding welcome here scheme is a regional
initiative coordinated by the Health Promotion Agency for
Northern Ireland (HPA) to support mothers who wish to breastfeed
when they are out and about with their baby.
The initiative is the first of its kind to be launched in
Northern Ireland and aims to encourage social acceptability
of breastfeeding and increase awareness about the importance
of breastfeeding to the health of both mother and baby. The
main driving forces behind the initiative are the local breastfeeding
mums who have been approaching businesses in their local
community and encouraging them to join the scheme.
Janet Calvert,
Regional Breastfeeding Coordinator with the HPA said: “Breastfeeding mums need everyone’s
support and the Breastfeeding welcome here scheme will make
it easier for mums to recognise places where they can breastfeed
when they are out with their baby.
“It makes good business sense for organisations that
are open to the general public to cater to all their customers’ needs
and ensure breastfeeding mums using their facilities feel
comfortable and welcome. It’s good for mums, babies
and your business.”
Businesses which are open to the general public, have non-smoking
facilities and support breastfeeding will be eligible to
join the scheme. They will be given a window sticker and
certificate to display on their premises to show that breastfeeding
is acceptable in all areas open to the general public and
that their staff are aware of the scheme and supportive of
breastfeeding mums.
Ciaran Milligan,
owner of Celebs Sandwich Bar in Belfast, one of the first
businesses to join, said: “I fully
support the scheme and any forward thinking business would
do the same. It makes life easier for mums while they are
out and about but it’s also good for business as it
shows that we are supportive of our customers and hopefully
it will encourage them to come back in the future.”
END
Notes to the editors
Further information about breastfeeding and the scheme is
available from the HPA’s breastfeeding website:
www.breastfedbabies.org.
For further information contact
Sinead Byrne at the HPA Press Office -Tel: 9031 1611 / 9031
1514 or Email: s.byrne@hpani.org.uk
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