Island businesses are being urged to become breastfeeding friendly. A new campaign has been launched called Breastfeeding Friendly Isle of Wight to provide breastfeeding mums with more support. Local businesswoman Olivia Tyler is leading the initiative which aims to improve mothers’ breastfeeding experiences in shops, businesses and public buildings.
Island businesses are being encouraged to become Breastfeeding Friendly venues, displaying stickers on their doors and materials inside to demonstrate their commitment to the scheme. This will help mothers to identify locations where they will be supported, and also offer other patrons information that the venue supports breastfeeding. County Hall and all council buildings with public access have now become Breastfeeding Friendly Isle of Wight venues with staff currently being trained in line with its pledges.
Olivia Tyler said ““Breastfeeding Friendly Isle of Wight has been set up to help businesses understand the importance of going that extra mile for feeding mothers, ensuring they feel confident and supported in their choice whilst out in public.
“As a breastfeeding mother I am very aware of both the benefits to mother and baby and the benefits to a business of being openly breastfeeding friendly.
“The Isle of Wight is already an incredibly inclusive community but still new mothers feel self-conscious when feeding their babies in public places. This scheme will give them the confidence to go to any place listed and know they will be fully supported in their choice. We are currently approaching businesses to sign up, but this is a timely exercise. Any business wishing to take part should contact us at help@breastfeedingiow.co.uk.”
Carol Foley, acting public health principal at the Isle of Wight Council, said: “We are proud to support this initiative as it is incredibly important that mothers feel comfortable while feeding their babies and that it should be a positive experience. Many venues across the Isle of Wight are already extremely welcoming to breastfeeding mums, and it is hoped that through this initiative more businesses will pledge their support and make their venues breastfeeding friendly.”
By signing up, businesses will pledge to hold a staff awareness session and ensure all staff members understand and support the scheme, respond sensitively if inappropriate comments are made, provide a clean and comfortable environment to breastfeed in, where possible staff members will offer to take food and drink orders over to breastfeeding mums so they don’t have to interrupt their baby’s feed and display the breastfeeding friendly window sticker so families can recognise their venue as being part of the scheme.
It is free for businesses to sign up to Breastfeeding Friendly Isle of Wight. Any business wishing to take part should email help@breastfeedingiow.co.uk.
More information and venues registered with the scheme can be found on the Breastfeeding Friendly Isle of Wight Facebook page and website: www.facebook.com/bffriendlyiow and www.breastfeedingiow.co.uk
