University is breastfeeding friendly

3rd April 2014

Sheffield Hallam University has been formally recognised as a Breastfeeding Friendly institution.

Breastfeeding mums can feed their babies at Sheffield Hallam in a friendly and supportive environment and to formally recognise this, the University's Chancellor, Lord Robert Winston was presented with the Sheffield Breastfeeding Friendly Award. The University was recognised for its facilities and support available to mums who want to feel confident and comfortable when breastfeeding their babies in public. Women can also choose to breastfeed, bottle feed or express in five respite locations across the both University campuses and staff across the organisation have been trained to offer mums any support they may need. The award is part of a wider initiative to increase breastfeeding rates in the city and to raise awareness of the positive impact the method has on the physical and emotional well-being of mums and their new-borns, as well as the economic and social benefits for the wider community. Mark Swales, director of estates and facilities at Sheffield Hallam, said: "We've always supported breastfeeding, but this award formally emphasises our ethos of being a truly inclusive institution committed to supporting our staff and students in every aspect of their lives. "Many of our courses attract students with families, so it is important that we can cater for those people and our students can feel safe in the knowledge that we will be supportive of their choices." Councillor Jackie Drayton, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families and City Infant Mortality (Breast Feeding) Champion said: -We need to do all we can to make breast feeding easier and encourage all new mums to start breast feeding and for them to continue to do it for as long as they can. It's brilliant that Sheffield Hallam University has joined an elite group and become a Breastfeeding Friendly institution and is showing the way to do it. -Breastfeeding your baby can be a truly rewarding experience, not only is it good for the baby, it saves money and it help you lose weight!