Liverpool’s eight One Stop Shops have secured a charter mark demonstrating they are breast feeding friendly.
The city council’s ‘Breastfeeding Mayoral Quality Mark’ which aims to make Liverpool a place where mums can breastfeed in comfort when they are out and about.
Successful businesses sign up to a 10 point plan which includes:
• Allow breastfeeding in all public areas
• Making private areas available for feeding where possible
• Offering mums a free drink of water or tea/coffee
• Promoting support services for breastfeeding
Each venue receives a certificate and a badge that they can place in their window or door to let customers know they are breast feeding friendly.
Deputy Mayor, Cllr Ann O’Byrne, said: “This is a great council initiative which is being rolled out across the city, and it is really important that we lead the way by making sure our own buildings secure the Quality Mark.
“I am delighted that our One Stop Shops – which are visited by 238,000 people every year – have achieved the status and are places where mums can be assured that they can feed their child without being disturbed.”
Liverpool is seeing an increase in breastfeeding rates, but still lags behind the national average.
A total of 53 percent of new mums feed naturally, compared to 74 percent elsewhere, dropping to 32 percent at six to eight weeks against 44 percent across the rest of the country.
The World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends that mother’s breastfeed infants for the first six months to achieve optimal growth, development and health.
The city’s peer support group for breastfeeding, Liverpool Bambis – who are based at and managed by Wavertree, Childwall and Woolton Children’s Centre – has supported 16,000 mums over the last five years.
Pictured are managers from the One Stop Shops with Deputy Mayor, Cllr Ann O’Byrne and Assistant Mayor, Cllr Nick Small.