Oh baby! Unicef award for Shropshire hospitals trust
The trust that runs Shropshire's two main hospitals has received an international award from Unicef.
The Baby Friendly Award means pregnant women and new mums using services run by The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust are receiving more help and advice than ever before about feeding their newborn babies.
The trust, which runs the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, the Princess Royal Hospital in Telford and Midwife Led Units in Bridgnorth, Ludlow, Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Telford, will be presented with a plaque to mark the award in the near future.
Sandra Umataliev, infant feeding co-ordinator at the trust, said: "We're committed to helping parents make an informed choice in how to feed their babies.
"We decided to join forces with Unicef UK's Baby Friendly Initiative as part of our efforts to ensure all women using our services are receiving the best care and advice possible.
"Breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses including gastroenteritis and respiratory infections in infancy as well as asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes in later life.
"We also know that breastfeeding reduces the mother's risk of some cancers – although mums might be more interested in hearing that it is easier, cheaper and simply less hassle than bottle feeding.
"But however a mother chooses to feed her baby, she can be sure that she will be supported to form a strong loving relationship with her newborn – through having maximum skin to skin contact and understanding how her baby communicates with her and needs her to respond."
The Baby Friendly Initiative, launched by Unicef and the World Health Organisation, is a global programme which provides a practical and effective way for health services to improve the care provided for all mothers and babies.
In the UK, the initiative works with UK public services to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships.
Anthea Gregory-Page, acting head of midwifery, said: "The management team would like to thank Sandra and the staff for all their hard work both in maternity and on our neonatal unit in receiving this prestigious accolade, and look forward to the official presentation in the near future."
Baby Friendly Initiative programme director Sue Ashmore said: "We are delighted that the trust has achieved full baby friendly status.
"Surveys show us that most mothers want to breastfeed but don't always get the support they need. Mothers using the hospitals can be confident that their midwives will provide high standards of care."
