BREASTFEEDING is in the spotlight this week as health visitors from Basingstoke celebrate a national awareness week.

National Breastfeeding Celebration Week runs to June 26, and a number of events are taking place to showcase the benefits of breastfeeding.

This year’s theme is “everyone in local communities can support mothers to breastfeed, whenever and wherever they are”.

As previously reported in The Gazette, new mums in Basingstoke and Deane lost five vital breastfeeding drop-in centres in April after Hampshire County Council failed to come up with funds to keep them running, despite a hard fought campaign by parents.

Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust is now offering a new service to breastfeeding mums in the town, which aims to support, educate and empower mothers.

The Gazette visited one of the drop-in centres in Basingstoke Discovery Centre to find out how the new service compares.

Sharon Hack, a health visitor, said they work with mums during their pregnancy, providing a more “holistic” approach.

She added: “We are seeing these mums antenatal. Breastfeeding shouldn’t be seen in isolation.”

The service starts during pregnancy with advice on feeding options. Following the birth parents receive on-going support and advice, including one-to-one breastfeeding advice, telephone contact and a home visit from a health visitor.

There is also a duty health visitor available Monday to Friday from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. All health visitors are nurses or midwives, with an extra year’s training as specialists in public health nursing.

Sarah Copsey, another health visitor, said the new service was about considering all the needs of a mother, adding: “It’s about listening to their concerns and supporting them.”

The now closed breastfeeding drop-in centres saw around 500 women attend each week and the sessions were dedicated solely to providing breastfeeding support.

The sessions run by Southern Health offer parents a range of support, and see two to six women needing help with breastfeeding.

Mrs Hack said the smaller number is because parents can choose to attend any of the 16 Child Health Clinics.

For more information visit southernhealth.nhs.uk/ breastfeeding.

What do you think of the new breastfeeding provision? Let us know by emailing newsdesk@basingstokegazette.co.uk.