Blackpool's Family Hub helped me in breastfeeding my premature baby

Blackpool Family Hubs is celebrating two years of working together with young mums to help improve breastfeeding rates across the Fylde coast.

The Hub was launched in 2023 after a Government-led report found that Blackpool needed to offer additional breastfeeding support to young mums.

In 2022, only around one in two babies in the Blackpool area were breastfed from birth. Following targeted support from Blackpool Family Hubs, three in every four babies now receive breastmilk as their first feed.

Bethany, a Blackpool resident and mum of one, attended last year’s breastfeeding event. She said: “It was great to be surrounded by so many families and babies who have benefited from the family hub offerings.

“I received vital support from the early days after giving birth prematurely, which complicated initiating breastfeeding. The support from family hub staff with after-birth calls and breastfeeding support from HENRY support staff and the specialist infant feeding team enabled me to breastfeed my child until I was ready to stop after a year.

“I would highly recommend any mum or mum-to-be to consider coming to the event to learn about the benefits of breastfeeding – there's also a chance to win a prize in the raffle!”

The Hub is planning to roll out a scheme aimed at helping businesses become breast-feeding friendly, and the Hub has also launched a free breastfeeding app called ‘Anya’.

Councillor Jim Hobson, Cabinet Member for Blackpool Council’s Children’s Services, said: “It is truly remarkable to see the difference that the teams in our family hubs and our partners have made.

“By investing in early help and giving families the information and support they need to make informed feeding choices, we're helping more babies and parents get off to the best possible start. I would encourage any local family to come along to the celebration on Wednesday to find out the support available for you and your baby.”