During this pandemic it has been necessary to stop all of our twenty-four support groups which are held weekly across the trust, these groups are sadly missed however we are working in partnership with our Sure Starts to get regular virtual groups up and running in your local area.
Breastfeeding support groups aim to encourage and inspire you by other mums who are on the same journey, you realise you are not on our own, it’s a safe place to try out feeding in public among likeminded supportive people, you will make new friends and contacts and there are supportive, knowledgeable health professionals and peer volunteers who are available to answer questions.
In the midst of this pandemic, breastmilk remains the safest and most protective method to feed all infants. To help to encourage and support you to breast feed or provide breastmilk for your baby during this challenging time of social distancing please find some useful resources and links which may help.
- Thinking of Breastfeeding?
- Pregnancy Book
- The Birth to five book
- Off to a Good Start Booklet
- Getting to know your baby leaflet
- Building a relationship with your unborn baby
- Vitamin D and You
- Public Health agency Website
BUILDING A HAPPY BABY begins in pregnancy and over the next two years building a close and loving relationship with your new born baby and responding to your baby’s cues is good for baby’s brain development. Our poster and leaflet provides lots of useful tips on how to achieve this during pregnancy and beyond.
Other useful Breastfeeding resources are:
- Global media Breastfeeding videos attaching your baby at the breast
- Hand-expression – This video guides mothers through how to hand express, and talks about the times when hand expression might be useful.
- The ‘Baby Friendly’ website has lots of resources for parents as well as professionals
- Best Beginnings – From bump to Breastfeeding
- Nils Bergman –Skin contact video
- Biological Nurturing/ Laid back feeding:
- Information on medications and breastfeeding
- Twins and More
- Independent information relating to formula
- PHA NI Bottlefeeding booklet – how to safely prepare formula, responsive feeding and types of milks
Breastfeeding support groups in the Southern Trust are now being held virtually.
| Clogher Valley Surestart Breastfeeding Support Group Bos-Zoom Pals Weekly on a Wednesday morning from 10am -11am. To book, please contact: 028 85549898 Valerie Elliott, Health Visitor | Newry Sure Start Breastfeeding Support Group via Zoom Weekly on a Tuesday morning from 10.30am to 11.30am To book, please contact: Email - Colleenw@newrysurestart.org Text only: 07593139260 |
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| Kilkeel Sure Start Breastfeeding Support Group via Zoom Tuesday mornings from 10.30am – 12.00pm. To book, please contact: 028 4176 4718. | South Armagh Sure Start Virtual Baby Cafe Running 1st and 3rd Wednesday of every month via Microsoft Teams 11.00-12.30. To book, please contact: 02830830022 info@surestartsa.org |
| Splash Sure Start Breastfeeding support group via Zoom Every Tuesday at 11 am To book please contact: 02838 313360 Health Visitor Janet Cameron | Dungannon & Coalisland Sure Start Breastfeeding support group via zoom Every Wednesday @ 10.30am-12noon To book please contact: 02887 729695 |
| ArKe Sure Start Armagh Breastfeeding Support Group via Zoom Every Thursday @ 10am To book your place, please contact: 02837518569 or text 07917235403 | Blossom Sure Start Portadown Breastfeeding Support Group via Zoom Every Thursday @ 12noon -1pm To book your place, please contact: 02838 337455 |
| La Leche League Breastfeeding Support Group via Zoom Every 2nd and 4th Friday, 9.30am - 11.30am Helplines: 028 9581 8118 www.facebook.com/lllni | Star Sure Start Banbridge Breastfeeding Support Group via Zoom Every Wednesday @10.00am-11.30am To book, please contact: 028406 22475 wendy.ryan@southerntrust.hscni.net |
For support please see below:
Breastfeeding Peer Support Volunteers in the Trust
Read about our Breastfeeding Peer Support Volunteers here.
World Breastfeeding Week
We celebrated World Breastfeeding Week in 2018 and met with lots of mums and babies in Rushmere Shopping Centre and The Quays Shopping Centre, Newry.