Experts review vitamin D advice for Under 5's, Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women

The chief medical officer for England, Dame Sally Davies, is to contact medical staff about concerns young children and some adults are not getting enough vitamin D. Government guidelines recommend some groups, including the under-fives, should take a daily supplement. However, recent research found that many parents and health professionals were unaware of the advice.

There has been an increase in childhood rickets over the past 15 years.
According to Dr Benjamin Jacobs, from the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital, links to heart disease and some cancers are also being investigated. The consultant paediatrician told BBC Breakfast that the hospital saw about one severe case a month of rickets - softening of bones through lack of vitamin D in childhood.

"It is important to raise awareness of this issue, and I will be contacting health professionals on the need to prescribe and recommend vitamin D supplements to at-risk groups”End Quote Dame Sally Davies Chief medical officer for England
He said: "There are many other children who have less severe problems - muscle weakness, delay in walking, bone pains - and research indicates that in many parts of the country the majority of children have a low level of vitamin D."

The Feeding for Life Foundation report, published in October last year, suggested one in four toddlers in the UK is vitamin D deficient.

However, this may be an underestimate as only vitamin D from food was included, and not any vitamin D obtained through sun exposure.

Vitamin D supplements are recommended for all people at risk of a deficiency, including all pregnant and breastfeeding women, children under five years old, people aged over 65, and people at risk of not getting enough exposure to sunlight.

Vitamin D is mainly obtained from sunlight. However, too much sun exposure increases the risk of skin cancer.

According to one recent study, nearly three-quarters of parents and more than half of health professionals are unaware of the recommendations.

The Department of Health has asked the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition to review the issue of current dietary recommendations on vitamin D.

Dame Sally Davies: "We know a significant proportion of people in the UK probably have inadequate levels of vitamin D in their blood. People at risk of vitamin D deficiency, including pregnant women and children under five, are already advised to take daily supplements.

"Our experts are clear - low levels of vitamin D can increase the risk of poor bone health, including rickets in young children.
"Many health professionals such as midwives, GPs and nurses give advice on supplements, and it is crucial they continue to offer this advice as part of routine consultations and ensure disadvantaged families have access to free vitamin supplements through our Healthy Start scheme.
"It is important to raise awareness of this issue, and I will be contacting health professionals on the need to prescribe and recommend vitamin D supplements to at-risk groups."

It has long been known that vitamin D prevents rickets and children were once given food supplements like cod liver oil.
However, this practice was stopped in the 1950s because it was thought unnecessary.
In the last 10 years, doctors have been seeing more cases of vitamin D deficiency, leading to a debate over the use of food supplements and concern that many medical staff are unaware of the problem.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16700833

Newcastle Breastfeeding Resource has found a new home!

Creator of Newcastle Breastfeeding Resource, Andrea, has left Newcastle for more southern climes. Brilliantly, Michelle has stepped up to groom, feed and generally maintain the website. With her enthusiasm and expertise, Michelle will be a great custodian of the baby-friendly North East information you mums have shared over the years.

Watch this space for more up to date info!

You can contact Michelle at NewcastleBF@gmail.com

Baby Cafes in Newcastle are going to drop their fancy names - same great support, no more corporate branding

The cost of subscribing to the Baby Cafe scheme is pretty pricey and Sure Start have decided to keep the costs down by renaming them "breastfeeding support". Although it means no more cool blue logo, this change also means more money to spend on breastfeeding support directly - where it matters most.

For more information on breastfeeding support in Newcastle contact Sure Start on 0778 639 1369.

UNICEF UK response to media reports questioning the recommendation to introduce solid food to babies at 6 months

An article published in the British Medical Journal (BMJ) is being reported in the media as questioning whether exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months is appropriate for UK babies. This article is not based on new evidence but rather a re-analysis of older evidence, much of which is the same as that used as the basis for weaning recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the UK’s Departments of Health (DH). WHO recommended the introduction of solid food at around 6 months alongside continued breastfeeding in 2001. This was based on evidence that the early introduction of solid food to babies increased the risk of infection and disease. In 2003, DH also began to recommend introducing solids at ‘around 6 months’, changing from its previous position of ‘at 4-6 months’. The authors of the BMJ article question this recommendation for UK babies. The basis of their arguments is that delaying introducing solid food may increase the risk of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA), coeliac disease and food allergies, and that introducing new tastes may increase acceptance of green leafy vegetables and so encourage healthy eating later in life. The Baby Friendly Initiative has written a statement dealing with these arguments that can be downloaded here. The UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative supports continued research into improving infant health. However, any new research should then be considered as part of the whole body of evidence and any recommendations made should be based on the full evidence rather than on single papers. It is unfortunate that the BMJ press office and the UK media have focused on a single piece of comment which has resulted in sensational headlines and risks misleading parents and damaging infant health. The DH recommendation is that solid food be introduced at around six months. It is acknowledged that babies’ individual development varies widely and that some babies may be ready for solid food before and after this time. Since the introduction of this recommendation the number of babies experiencing the potentially harmful introduction to solid food before 4 months has reduced. Health professionals should continue to support mothers with accurate information based on DH and WHO guidance, helping them to recognise the signs of when their baby may be ready to try new foods, while continuing to breastfeed. To download the full statement, including references, click here. If you have any questions, please contact bfi@unicef.org.uk

The calendar is now available!

The 2011 breastfeeding calendar many of you know about, and have contributed to, is now on sale from Sure Start!

It's being sold at a very affordable £3, all of which will go to local breastfeeding support, as Sure Start have kindly paid for the printing.

I haven't got all the details on availability yet, but if you would like to buy a copy the best thing to do would be to talk to your local peer support co-ordinator, or failing that Mandy Surtees (my peer support co-ordinator) who will be able to advise. You can reach Mandy at Sure Start Bridgewater on 0191 274 7308.

A big thanks to everyone who has supported the project!

I'll update when I have more information.

The votes are in!

I've tallied the votes and chosen the months. A big thank you to all of you who turned out to choose your favourite images for the 2011 calendar. The results are below:

• January is Janet breastfeeding at the play park, while Arthur plays in the snow
• February is Julie with new baby Amelia Rose (born 13/09/10!)
• March is Catherine nursing Grace, while being serenaded by Paul
• April is Lisa nursing Jenna by a stream
• May is Harriet multitasking outside a supermarket
• June is the Big Breastfeed collage (assuming Breastfeeding Week is June again next year)
• July is Maria nursing Sophie, while reading Max a story
• August is the La Leche League picnic photo, with Claire Hoyle nursing baby Jamie
• September is Emma nursing Sky at the park
• October is baby Raymond checking out the camera
• November is Catherine nursing Flora in the North-Eastern climate
• December is Cath nursing Amelia while twin Matthew enjoys the snow

May and June might be reversed, depending on when National Breastfeeding Week is scheduled. The collage will be for NB Week, and Harriet's image the other month. Now all I need is the Department of Health to answer my email...

I'm compiling the print files and will give them to Sure Start this week - once the calendars are printed they will be available from selected Sure Start locations, and online through this website. Watch this space!

Home again: Baby Cafe Canning Street will start again on September 27th

After a summer spent at Bridgewater School, the Monday Baby Cafe will return to a new improved children's centre facility at Canning Street Primary School, starting on September 27th.

Baby Cafe Canning Street Primary School
Wellfield Road, Benwell, NE4 8UE
Mondays 1-3pm
(not bank holidays)

Come along and have a cuppa, while chatting with other breastfeeding mums and our resident midwife.

We've got two voting days for the calendar images!

Come and see the gallery of images sent this year, and choose your favourites to go in the 2011 calendar - head on over to the breastfeeding support session at

Fenham Children's Centre (Convent Road, Fenham NE4 9XZ) on Wednesday September 15th from 11am-1pm.
Sure Start West Riverside (Bridgewater School, Delaval Road, Benwell, NE15) on Monday September 20th from 1-3pm.

Bring your babies and your opinions!

Help us with our 2011 breastfeeding calendar!

Newcastle Breastfeeding Resource and Sure Start have teamed up to produce local breastfeeding calendars for the last three years. Help us make the 2011 calendar our best one yet! All proceeds from the calendar will go to BAPS local breastfeeding support.

If you would like to be in this year’s calendar, send your images of breastfeeding in interesting or unusual places or ways to:

newcastleBF@gmail.com

Dredge your hard-drives, trawl your cell phones – old images are just as welcome as new ones. Images representing different times of year are especially welcome, as breastfeeding is not a seasonal activity.

Landscape-orientation photos work better than portrait ones, and please make sure you send only images you have permissions over, so that we don’t upset anybody with copyright problems.

The deadline for submissions is the end of August. We’ll vote on the submitted photos at the beginning of September at one of the Baby Cafés (to be confirmed which one).

More calendar information is available from newcastleBF@gmail.com.

More information on Sure Start breastfeeding support is available from Sure Start peer support co-ordinators on 0778 639 1369, or from Newcastle Families Information Service on 0191 277 4133.

This information is available to download here.

Baby Cafe Canning Street is now at Bridgewater

Due to refurbishment of the Canning Street Primary School Children's Centre, the Baby Cafe has moved to Bridgewater School. It will still run Mondays 1-3pm (not bank holidays). The plan is for the session to return to a new, improved Canning Street Primary School in September.

Sure Start West Riverside Children's Centre
Bridgewater School
Delaval Road
Scotswood
Newcastle NE15 7NL

For queries on this session phone 0191 274 7308.

National Breastfeeding Week events - the Big Breastfeed and the photo exhibition!

National Breastfeeding Week is nearly upon us and the women of Newcastle have been busy!

Friday June 25th brings the 2010 Big Breastfeed and the breastfeeding photo exhibition.

• The Big Breastfeed will be at Grey's Monument at 11am. Bring your baby and nurse for Britain! Download information here.
• The official opening of the breastfeeding photo exhibition at the City Library is at noon, on level 2 (near the cafe). Download information here.

These events are a fun chance to catch up with other breastfeeding mums, and to take part in something meaningful - made possible by you!

If you have an event planned for National Breastfeeding Week and you would like me to list it here, email me on newcastleBF@gmail.com.

Breastfeeding photo exhibition at the City Library!

We’re celebrating National Breastfeeding Week with a photo exhibition, June 24th-30th at Newcastle City Library.

Mums from Newcastle have donated images to Newcastle Breastfeeding Resource over the last three years, for use in our annual breastfeeding calendar. We’ve teamed up with Sure Start to share the photos with you all and celebrate all the mums and babies who have contributed.

We all know breastfeeding is the healthiest start for babies—but this exhibition shows that it’s also about getting on with life, building a bond, and how breastmilk is the ultimate portable babyfood. At the park, reading a book, on holiday or even at the swimming pool, we’ve shown that life does not stop just because we’re breastfeeding.

Newcastle mums have chosen their twelve favourite images from those sent in each year in order to make each calendar—now see the full gallery of photos at the City Library.

The photo exhibition will be on display June 24th-30th, including textiles and other media produced by local families for Breastfeeding Week. Come and check out our breastfeeding chillout area and pick up some information on breastfeeding support available in Newcastle.

For more information email me at newcastleBF@gmail.com or contact Sure Start on 0191 273 9549. Download this information as a leaflet here.

Start4Life - what we already knew, but with claymation characters

The Department of Health has launched a new campaign to communicate infant health info in plain language - and you guessed it, breastfeeding ranks highly in their focus.

More information is at http://www.nhs.uk/start4life but here is their run-down

Babies who are breastfed have a smaller chance of:

• Developing eczema
• Getting ear, chest and tummy bugs and have to go to hospital as a result
• Being fussy about new foods
• Being constipated
• Being obese and developing diabetes when they are older

There are advantages for mums who breastfeed too:

• Breastfeeding lowers the risk of breast and ovarian cancer
• Breastfeeding naturally uses up about 500 extra calories a day so mums who breastfeed often find it easier to lose their pregnancy weight
• It saves money - formula feeding can cost as much as £45 a month
• It's a lot less hassle - there is no need to clean and sterilise bottles, boil kettles and wait for the milk to cool every few hours during the day and night

I'm worried about the baby in this image - I think maybe he needs some breastfeeding support for latch problems?

Start4Life: the most up-to-date advice on breastfeeding, introducing solid food and active play, and tips on how to use them to give your baby a better start in life.

Now on sale: The Breastfeeding Calendar!

The 2010 Newcastle Breasfeeding Resource calendar is now on sale! The calendar is available from

• Sure Start information point, Adelaide Terrace, Benwell 0191 2739549
• Sure Start Armstrong, Bridgewater School, Delaval Road, Scotswood
• Baby Cafe Canning Street Primary School (Mondays 1-3pm)
  
• online, using the PayPal button below.
  

If you can't make it to the locations in Newcastle, the "buy now" button below will allow you to purchase online via PayPal, for secure online payment.

Select the quantity of calendars you want, then click on the "buy now" button. My html isn't great, so please excuse the page formatting.

2010 CALENDAR NO LONGER ON SALE - 2011 CALENDAR COMING IN THE AUTUMN - WATCH THIS SPACE!

We're looking to roll out the calendar to other Baby Cafe locations in the city, but Sure Start are in the process of organising this. Watch this space....

The breastfeeding calendar is here!

The calendar is ready! At this point it’s available from the Sure Start Info Point on Adelaide Terrace (0191 2739549), but we’re looking to roll it out to other Sure Start locations across the city. Sure Start haven’t told me the price yet, but it’ll be less than a fiver. When I have more information, and some calendars in my possession, I will make them available online with payments through PayPal.

I will update you all when I have more information, but as everyone is so keen I thought I’d share the info I have just now.

Good things come to those who wait (this is my mantra)...

A big thank you to everyone who helped with the calendar, and apologies that the printer has messed around for 7 weeks with our files.

Keep you posted...

It's in the hands of the printers now....

Everyone is asking where the calendar is!

Sure Start have sent the files to the printers a couple of weeks ago, and expect to get the finished calendars back sometime around the end of the month.

When it's available to buy I will email everyone on my mailing list to let them know, and post the event on this blog - so rest assured, you won't miss it.

Good things come to those who wait, so this calendar is going to be fabulous!

Nearly there!

The calendar is in production - I'm finishing the artwork as I write this, and Sure Start are organising the printing for this week!

Here is a run-down of the chosen photos:

January will be Janet Padgett in the snowdrops
February will be Beth Rowson at her wedding in a stately home
March will be Emma and Milo next to an Irish waterfall
April will be Hazel Perry next to a castle in Aberdeenshire (our international photo!)
May will be the collage image from Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2009
June will be Ellyn Hutchinson redecorating her hallway
July will be Lindsay Oliver wearing a bridal veil, in colour
August will be Harriet’s friend Cath nursing her twins
September will be Joan Flood-Keller in the great outdoors with Aoife and Dervla
October will be Andrea Shemilt next to the feet of the Angel of the North
November will be Lisa Moore sitting on a bench in the park with assorted children
December will be Beatrice the hatted bear, enjoying her milk.

All the photos sent in were beautiful, and I'm pleased to have included so many of them on the covers as well as inside the calendar.

For all of you moms waiting with baited breath for this year's publication, I think it will be ready to purchase in mid-October. Watch this space....

Voting day is nearly upon us!

It's that time of year again, and the thought of voting for our favourite photos for the calendar has arisen. Bring your babies and your opinions to

Monday September 14th, 1-3pm
Baby Cafe Canning Street Primary School
Wellfield Road
Newcastle NE4 8UE

The twelve favourite images will become the months for this year's breastfeeding calendar. As Sure Start West Riverside are kindly paying for the printing, all funds raised from the calendar will go to local breastfeeding support (BAPS).

Have you got a great idea for an image for the calendar? There's still time! Get your photo sorted and send it to me at newcastleBF@gmail.com! The deadline for images is September 4th.

For more information on BAPS or Sure Start's role in breastfeeding support, contact Natasha Nicholson on natasha.moulding@newcastle.gov.uk

For more information on the calendar project, or to submit images for the voting day, contact me newcastleBF@gmail.com

Time is running out!

It's August, and time is running out for you to send your breastfeeding images to Newcastle Breastfeeding Resource!

We are asking for images to include in our voting day for our third annual fundraising calendar. Previous years have been really successful, and we're hoping this will be the best year yet! All money raised from the calendar goes to local breastfeeding support, so it's a really great opportunity to celebrate your little one and support a good cause at the same time.

More information on the calendar is on my original post here. Please send any images before September 4th so that we can have the voting day at the Baby Cafe in mid-September.

Friendly faces at Baby Cafe Canning Street

Sure Start West Riverside has chosen some great staff to attend the Baby Cafe at Canning Street Primary School. They have committed midwife Julie and playworker Claire to the session every Monday afternoon.

Julie is trained in breastfeeding support, and Claire has experienced the ups and downs of breastfeeding a baby. Both are enthusiastic about the benefits of breastfeeding, and good listeners - making them a perfect choice for Baby Cafe.

The Baby Cafe is a support and social session for breastfeeding mums and babies. Trained healthcare staff and volunteer peer supporters are there to help with any information or difficulties.

The session is run in the Children's Centre room, to the left of the main entrance of Canning Street Primary School, every Monday from 1-3pm (not bank holidays). Come along, have a cuppa and meet some nice mums who are also breastfeeding their little ones!

It's calendar season once again!

SureStart West Riverside has pledged funding for the third annual breastfeeding calendar for the area. Previous years have been massively successful in raising awareness and celebrating the mums and babies who've contributed. We hope that this year's will be the best one yet!

If you'd like to contribute images to this year's calendar, send them to me before the end of August. Once all the images are in, we will have a voting day at the Baby Cafe Canning Street in early September, to choose the 12 favourite images for the calendar.

We want to show that life doesn't stop just because you're breastfeeding - and we need your images of breastfeeding in interesting or unusual places. On holiday? Out and about? Nursing twins? Upside down? Get the photos coming in! Email me at newcastleBF@gmail.com

Details:

• landscape photos work better than portrait in the calendar
• please only send photos you have permission to use - OK with the photographer, and OK with any people in the image. We don't want to upset anyone.
• all funds raised from the calendar will go to Newcastle breastfeeding support (BAPS)
• for more information, email me at newcastleBF@gmail.com
  
• the SureStart/BAPS contact person is Natasha Moulding.

Breastfeeding support in Newcastle

Breastfeeding support available in Newcastle and North Tyneside

For general enquiries about breastfeeding support in Newcastle phone 0778 639 1369 to reach Sure Start staff who will have information.

Socialise with other breastfeeding mums, and get information and support at:

Mondays

• La Leche League Tyne and Wear - Fenham meeting. Nunsmoor Children's Centre, Nunsmoor Road, Fenham. First Monday of the month 10am-noon. Details of their next meeting can be found on http://www.llltyneandwear.edgoose.co.uk/meetings.asp.
• Breastfeeding support - West: Bridgewater Sure Start Children's Centre, Delaval Road, Benwell NE15 6NL. Mondays, 1-3pm (not Bank Holidays) Tel. 2747308.
• Breastfeeding information and support group—Lemington Lemington Resource Centre, Tyne View, Lemington NE15 8DE. Mondays, 12-130pm Tel. 0191 2641959.
• Breastfeeding Support at Monkseaton Clinic, Chapel Lane, North Tyneside. Mondays, 1-230pm. Tel. 2510859.
  

Tuesdays

• Breastfeeding Support at the Baptist Church, Howard Street, North Shields. Tuesdays 1115am-115pm. Tel. 2196640
• Breastfeeding Support at Wallsend Children's Centre. Tuesdays 130-3pm. Tel. 2006999.
  

Wednesdays

• Breastfeeding support - Montagu and North Moor: 11-13 Arlington Avenue, Montagu Estate, Kenton NE3 4TS. Wednesdays, 1-3pm (not Bank Holidays) Tel. 2134100.
• Breastfeeding information and support group - Fenham: Fenham Children's Centre, Sacred Heart School, Convent Road, Fenham NE4 9XZ. Wednesdays, 11am-1pm. Tel. 2748616.
• Breastfeeding Support at Wellspring Medical Centre, Killingworth. Wednesdays 1230-2pm. Tel. 2164921.
• Breastfeeding Support at the Ouseburn Community Centre, Mowbray Street, Newcastle NE6 5PA. Wednesdays 1230-230pm Tel. 275 9950
  
• MONTHLY Breastfeeding Support at Howdon Children's Centre, Wallsend. First Wednesday of the month 130-3pm. Tel. 2006666.
  

Thursdays

• Breastfeeding support - Byker: St Martin's Centre, Roman Avenue, Byker NE6 2RJ. Thursdays, 1-3pm (not bank holidays) Tel. 2764002.
• Breastfeeding information and support group - Denton: Denton Children's Centre, West Denton Primary School, Hillheads Road, Denton NE5 1DN. Thursdays, 930-1130am (not bank holidays) Tel. 2674211/ 2772033
  

Fridays

• Breastfeeding Support at Shiremoor Children's Centre, Shiremoor. Fridays 1-230pm. Tel. 6432110.
  

Also
Ante-natal, post-natal and breastfeeding support available at

• Mountfield SureStart, Halewood Ave, Kenton NE3 3RX. Tuesdays, 10-1130am (not bank holidays) Tel. 2134100.
• SureStart Info Point, Adelaide Terrace, Benwell NE4 8BE. Fridays, 1-3pm Tel. 2739549.
• St. Mary’s Church, Mapledene Rd, Fawdon NE3 2RR. Thursdays, 1030am-noon. Tel. 2134100.

Around the region:

• Bosom Buddies - groups in Blaydon, Wardley, Felling, Gateshead, Chopwell, Chowdene and Birtley. Tel. 4335646 for more details.
• La Leche League, Tyne and Wear A La Leche League group with meetings in Fenham and Washington. Details of their next meeting can be found on http://www.llltyneandwear.edgoose.co.uk/meetings.asp
• Bibs Online - breastfeeding support in Northumberland. Services vary from weekly drop-in sessions to individual support. Contact tel. 0779 907 1871 (Central Northumberland) or tel. 0791 959 2281 (Blyth Valley) or email info@bibsonline.co.uk for more information.
  www.bibsonline.co.uk
  

It's calendar season once again!

SureStart West Riverside has pledged funding for the third annual breastfeeding calendar for the area. Previous years have been massively successful in raising awareness and celebrating the mums and babies who've contributed. We hope that this year's will be the best one yet!

If you'd like to contribute images to this year's calendar, send them to me before the end of August. Once all the images are in, we will have a voting day at the Baby Cafe Canning Street in early September, to choose the 12 favourite images for the calendar.

We want to show that life doesn't stop just because you're breastfeeding - and we need your images of breastfeeding in interesting or unusual places. On holiday? Out and about? Nursing twins? Upside down? Get the photos coming in! Email me at newcastleBF@gmail.com

Details:

• landscape photos work better than portrait in the calendar
• please only send photos you have permission to use - OK with the photographer, and OK with any people in the image. We don't want to upset anyone.
• all funds raised from the calendar will go to Newcastle breastfeeding support (BAPS)
• for more information, email me at newcastleBF@gmail.com
  
• the SureStart/BAPS contact person is Natasha Moulding.
  

Baby Cafe Canning Street to stay!

After the sad farewell to roaming midwife Michelle Corkhill, the Baby Cafe has been promised a new staffing arrangement! SureStart West Riverside, who run the session, have selected a new midwife to attend regularly. This spells relief for all of us who worried that the Baby Cafe might have to close without the necessary staff to run it.

When the arrangements are finalised and the new midwife starts attending we'll introduce her here. In the meantime, watch this space....

The Baby Cafe Canning Street is every Monday (not Bank Holidays) from 1-3pm. Socialise with other mums, access breastfeeding books and information, and talk to a midwife trained in breastfeeding support. A full list of Newcastle's breastfeeding support sessions is available here.

It's calendar season once again!

SureStart West Riverside has pledged funding for the third annual breastfeeding calendar for the area. Previous years have been massively successful in raising awareness and celebrating the mums and babies who've contributed. We hope that this year's will be the best one yet!

If you'd like to contribute images to this year's calendar, send them to me before the end of August. Once all the images are in, we will have a voting day at the Baby Cafe Canning Street in early September, to choose the 12 favourite images for the calendar.

We want to show that life doesn't stop just because you're breastfeeding - and we need your images of breastfeeding in interesting or unusual places. On holiday? Out and about? Nursing twins? Upside down? Get the photos coming in! Email me at newcastleBF@gmail.com

Newcastle Breastfeeding Resource is moving!

Escaping the unreliable and generally rubbish tiscali, we are setting up a cosy pad here in blogspot. At the moment there's not much, but soon all the salient features of old-style NBR will be safely installed on this site, and we will never look back. In the meantime, you can find the old site at http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/shemilt/breastfeeding_newcastle

Breastfeeding Events in Newcastle

National Breastfeeding Week has been moved!
No longer in May, a last-minute decision has been taken nationally to have the event from June 20th to 27th, 2010. If you are organising any events for the week, let me know and I'll post details here.

The Big Breastfeed 2009

Newcastle's second annual Big Breastfeed was a huge success!

On May 15th (during National Breastfeeding Awareness Week), loads of mums and babies braved the rain to head to the Millenium Bridge for the event. Fortunately Natasha Moulding had made arrangements to move everything (but the bridge) into the Baltic, and everybody was able to dry off and pose for the cameras on the viewing platform on level 5.

The same photographer as last year was covering the event, and there was also a reporter from the Chronicle interviewing and taking pictures. If you head to the Chronicle online, you can buy prints of their photos (type "Big Breastfeed" into the search bar).



Here's an image from the Big Breastfeed 2008, at the Monument. We're making history here, ladies.

More information on the Big Breastfeed is available from Sure Start on (0191) 2739549.


Breastfeeding doesn't stop just because of torrential downpours!

Howay the lasses....

Baby Cafe Canning Street in peril!

Due to midwife extraordinaire Michelle Corkhill's new calling as a health visitor, the Baby Cafe at Canning Street Primary School has a questionable future! To continue as a Baby Cafe it will need another health professional trained in breastfeeding to attend the sessions. If nobody is available to fulfil this role, then the session may be downgraded to just "breastfeeding support", with the help of peer supporters still available. Still support, but not the Baby Cafe we know and love.


Good luck to Michelle in her new role, and a big thank you from all the mums and babies she's helped over the years. Come back and visit!

Baby Cafe Canning Street will be running on May 4th and 11th, 1-3pm. After that, its fate lies with SureStart....

Newcastle Breastfeeding Resource is moving!

Escaping the unreliable and generally rubbish tiscali, we are setting up a cosy pad here in blogspot. At the moment there's not much, but soon all the salient features of old-style NBR will be safely installed on this site, and we will never look back. In the meantime, you can find the old site at http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/shemilt/breastfeeding_newcastle

First bit of useful information:
The Big Breastfeed 2009 is on May 15th at 11am, on the Millenium Bridge.
Bring your baby and nurse for Britain! Let's bridge Newcastle and Gateshead with milk.
More info from the SureStart Info Point on Adelaide Terrace 0191 273 9549.

More soon!

Favourite places to breastfeed in Newcastle

We think that breastfeeding mums should be able to feed their little ones wherever they like, but some mums (and some babies!) prefer somewhere quieter and more private. When you're a new mum it can be hard to find baby-friendly feeding places. Here is a list of our favourite baby feeding spots, as chosen by mums of Newcastle - comments and reviews listed at the end of the page.

Favourite place not listed? Email me, and I'll add it.


Baby-friendly cafes and restaurants in Newcastle

• The Settle Down Cafe
• The Scrumpy Willow and the Singing Kettle
• Jack Sprat's cafe
  
• Costa Coffee
• Caffe Nero
• Boskoops Cafe
• Kaffeccinos
• Fat Cats Cafe - formerly Stairway 211
  
• Cafe Revive (in Marks and Spencers Northumberland Street)
• The Sky Apple Cafe
• Pani's Cafe Bar
• Frankie and Benny's
• Hexham Tans cafe
• Brockbushes farm
• IKEA cafe
• Alnwick Gardens cafe
• Sure Start Information Point
• Brunton Babies group
• Newcastle City Library
  

Comments and reviews

• The Settle Down Cafe on Thornton Street (next to Alt Vinyl), Newcastle City Centre. Amazingly fabulous family-friendly place. Toys for the kids, high chairs, healthy yummy food and hip Apple internet cafe facilities to boot. Baby change facilities, and lots of high chairs and IKEA plastic cups etc for the kids! Gotta say I was stunned at how well thought out this place was - everything for the family in need of a quick break. www.thesettledown.com
  

• The Scrumpy Willow and the Singing Kettle on Clayton Street, Newcastle city centre. Great cafe/restaurant with delicious, healthy, locally-sourced organic food. Open until 9pm. Art exhibitions on display - really relaxed, creative atmosphere. Tasty soup-of-the-day was suitable for my little one to try, also (she loved it!). One of the few places I've personally had a really positive response to breastfeeding. They have a strong community ethos: read more on their website. Lovely!

• Jack Sprat's cafe at 413 Chillingham Road (north end), Heaton (NE6 6QU). A vegetarian cafe catering for a range of special diets (eg wheat-free, lactose-free, gluten-free, vegan). Reported as a marvellous peaceful and welcoming place, accommodating kids and breastfeeding mums with ease. Apparently there is a toy corner to keep the little ones entertained, and plenty of sofas to relax on.
  

• Costa Coffee by the Theatre Royal, Newcastle city centre. Yes, it's a franchised coffeeshop, but wow was there a postive response when my friend and her new baby patronised the establishment. She was made to feel really welcome, and the kind staff brought her order to the table for her. The manager said enthusiastically that should we need to take a pushchair upstairs (additional seating area), they'd be happy to carry it up for us! And for those of you whose babies have cows' milk colic, soya milk in your latte is available at no extra charge.

• Caffe Nero at the corner of Clayton Street and Newgate street, and the one in South Gosforth have both been used regularly by breastfeeding mums, with no complaints. Nice chai lattes, too.

• Boskoops Cafe on Old Eldon Square, Newcastle city centre. An upstairs coffee shop with a relaxed atmosphere. When I talked to a senior staff member about their breastfeeding policy, she was incredibly positive! It was nice to be so well received. Great atmosphere, but no baby change facilities.... Their website.

• Fat Cats cafe, St Mary's Place, Newcastle city centre. Student cafe, with homecooked healthy sandwich fare (paninis, soup etc) tempered with a good dose of indulgent desserts. Welcoming to breastfeeding mums, but unfortunately no baby change etc. There's a small staircase as well. Open late on Thursdays with live music! www.fatcatsne.co.uk

• Kaffeccinos on Grainger Street, Newcastle city centre. The city's premier independent coffee house, with a strong ideology of courtesy and respect. They have some scrumptious food on offer - gourmet coffee, milkshakes, artisan breads, salads, soups and sandwiches - with organic and fair trade stuff available. www.kaffeccinos.com
  

• Café Revive in Marks and Spencers, Northumberland Street, Newcastle city centre. One mum told me that she never had to use the just-OK baby-feeding room in Marks and Spencers, as all of her baby-tending needs were sorted out in the café. Cafe Revive (a chain) is listed in the Baby Friendly Britain guide as being a breastfeeding-friendly chain.

• The Sky Apple Café (formerly the Blue Apple Cafe), on Heaton Road, Heaton. Colourful family-friendly vegetarian café, with a delicious and eclectic menu. Bohemian and arty, the establishment has a box of toys to entertain young diners. High chairs available, and a basic baby change area.

• Pani's Café Bar, High Bridge Street, Newcastle city centre. Lovely family-friendly atmosphere, with a fuss made over cute babies! High chairs available, although no proper baby change facilities.

• Frankie and Benny's is a chain of restaurants (there's one on Clasper Way, Swalwell, Gateshead) that has listed itself in the Baby Friendly Britain guide, as a chain that welcomes breastfeeding customers. We've fed our babies quite happily there, and enjoyed their Italy-meets-New-York menu.

• Hexham Tans café, 13a St Mary's Chare, Hexham town centre. Not in Newcastle, but enough people mentioned that it was a nice place to feed your baby, that I thought I should include it. Relaxed atmosphere, nice food, mostly vegetarian, affordable.

• IKEA's restaurant and café, Metrocentre retail park, Gateshead. The store has a baby changing room, which I haven’t tried, as all of my baby-sorting-out needs have been comfortably met in the café and restaurant. Very family-friendly, as this is their main target market. High chairs, food warmers, lots of places to sit, including some tucked away. No one has batted an eyelid when I’ve fed my sweet baby there. Note: for those of you wanting a quiet place to feed your little one, but don't want to be stuffed away in a nasty baby-change, the IKEA restaurant has a brilliant "Baby Oasis": an area in the restaurant with a little screen around it, enclosing a comfy IKEA chair, side table, rug etc. Not an advert for their furniture, honest...

• IKEA, being family-friendly as they are, also has a couple of traditional, somewhat toilet-like baby changes: one near the front door, and one near the restaurant. Apparently each has a chair, if you would ever choose to nurse your baby there rather than in the way-way-way-better restaurant nearby.

• Brockbushes farm, at the Corbridge roundabout on the A69. Sure it's not in Newcastle, but what a brilliant place to have a family outing! A pick-your-own farm, with tons of varieties of strawberries, raspberries, goosberries, etc. The farm shop sells all sorts of lovely treats, and there is a very nice coffee shop which is breastfeeding-friendly. Baby change facilities available.

• Fenwicks powder room, 3rd floor, Fenwicks department store, Northumberland street, Newcastle city centre. Nice sitting area, with upholstered chairs, desks and mirrors. Really meant for putting on your makeup, but mums use it to feed as well. Baby change facilities nearby (with a bench available for feeding as well).

• John Lewis parents room, 1st floor, John Lewis, Eldon Square, Newcastle city centre. Really good baby change facilities, with a breastfeeding area in a separate adjacent room. Very nice atmosphere for feeding, with a bottle warmer (if you're into that sort of thing) comfortable chairs and relaxed lighting.

• Mothercare World, Belvedere retail park, Kingston Park, Newcastle north. Of course Mothercare would have to do this well! Well-provided nursing room with posh comfy chairs (which Mothercare also sells…), a water cooler and paper towels available.

• Debenhams, Metrocentre, Gateshead. I've been told they have a parents' room. More info? Email me.

• Marks and Spencer's baby room, 1st floor, Marks and Spencer's, Northumberland street, Newcastle city centre. Well, at least they have a baby room. The breastfeeding cubicle, with a fairly austere chair in it, is right next to a toilet cubicle (for children’s use). Baby change facilities are right there. It doesn’t smell too bad, but really, we expected better from M&S… go on - write to them and put them straight! NB Apparently there's a second toilet-like baby change with a chair downstairs, next to the children's clothing section.

• Tesco Extra (near the main entrance), Kingston Park, Newcastle north. These guys only made the list because a) they have a “baby room”, and b) it has free nappies. A baby change with a chair in it. Not romantic. Send these guys a letter too.

• The Metro Centre, Gatehead. To the right of the Debenham's entrance, in the Red Quadrant. Bench-style seating, tiled walls (so a little noisy) - functional. There's another baby-feeding area in Cafe Revive, within the Marks and Spencers.

• Debenham's at the Metro Centre apparently has a baby change with some OK chairs, on the ground floor near children's clothing, which is "clean and reasonable". Really these places could do so much better!!!

• Alnwick Gardens cafe, Alnwick, Northumberland. Sure it's not in Newcastle, but it's a lovely day out, and the really positive reception for one breastfeeding mum who spoke to me was worthy of mention. You don't have to pay to go to the gardens, in order to enjoy the cafe. Although they don't yet have a breastfeeding area, they offered the mum screens if she wanted them, and made sure she was comfortable. Fancy food listed on their sample menus. Very clean baby change facilities available too.

• Sure Start Information Point on Adelaide Terrace, Benwell NE4 8BE. Great family resource point has lovely breastfeeding chair, play area for the little ones and free nappies. What more could you want? Water? Yes, there's a water cooler too.

• Brunton Babies at St Aidan's Church, Princes Road Gosforth NE3 5RL. For babies under one year only - breastfeeding-friendly parent and baby group: relax and chat over a cuppa! Babies enjoy a wide range of toys and the group regularly has taster sessions from baby massage to have a go pottery sessions. More info on their website www.newcastletoddlers.co.uk. Monday and Friday from 945-1145am, at a cost of £2.

• Newcastle City Library on Princess Square in the city centre. They have a basic parents' room with seats next to a baby change (not ideal! who wants lunch in a place smelling of nappies!) but also a spacious and pleasant cafe which is apparently nice for nursing in. THIS JUST IN: The City Library are hosting our breastfeeding photo exhibition during breastfeeding week at the end of June! Bring along your baby and become part of the artwork!
  

Favourite place not listed? Email me, and I'll add it.