Breastfeeding
Information for businesses

Breastfeeding gives babies all the nutrients they need for the first six months of life and it continues to benefit babies along with solid foods for many months. Breastfeeding helps protect against a range of infections and diseases such as ear and chest infections, eczema, obesity and diabetes for the child, and breast and ovarian cancer and weak bones later in life in mothers.

What support is offered to pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers?

Sure Start Children’s Centres and other meeting places offer a range of breastfeeding help, support and advice. All children’s centres offer breast feeding peer support, the opportunity to meet with other breastfeeding mothers and access to a breast pump loan scheme. Some children’s centres offer professional support from midwives and/or health visitors. To find your nearest Sure Start children’s centre visit www.sheffield.gov.uk/findachildrenscentre or www.asksid.net

What is breastfeeding peer support?

Peer support is an approach in which women who have personal, practical experience of breastfeeding offer support to other mothers. This kind of mother-to-mother support has been around for a long time, but has recently been more formally set up as a way of improving support for breastfeeding women.

National breastfeeding helpline: 0300 100 0212

How to get involved:

Businesses can get involved by providing a quiet secluded space for mothers returning to work to express milk and somewhere safe and cool to store the milk. There will be a Breastfeeding Friendly Public Place and Workplace Award Scheme for Businesses to apply for, to help them get recognised as a Breastfeeding Friendly organisation.

Find out more:

Breastfeeding information for parents and families

More information about Breastfeeding