Frome Town Hall has been awarded the Somerset Positive About Breastfeeding status. The award highlights that the venue, home to Frome Town Council, welcomes mothers to breastfeed their babies in any public area on the premises.
The Positive About Breastfeeding scheme aims to support mothers to feel more comfortable and confident to breastfeed their baby, whilst encouraging greater acceptance and promotion of breastfeeding in commercial, health and community settings.
Breastmilk provides a baby with all they need for healthy growth and development in the first six months, constantly adapting to meet a baby’s daily needs and offering protection against a number of infections. Growing evidence shows it can protect against obesity in later life. Breastfeeding helps mums as well, by reducing the risk of breast cancer, diabetes and ovarian cancer.
Councillor Kate Bielby said “In Somerset over 80 per cent of women start breastfeeding but this then drops to between 40-50 per cent by the six to eight-week health check. The aim of the award is to show that we actively support mums to breastfeed whilst in no way making a judgement on others who may not be able or wish to.”
Other venues in Frome are encouraged to also apply for Positive About Breastfeeding status and the Rye Bakery already has the award. Applying is simple, venues need to enable breastfeeding anywhere in public areas on their premises, find out more here. Members of the public are also able to nominate a welcoming place for the award using the same weblink.
The Town Hall already hosts a Baby Café, every Friday from 10 – 12am which is a supportive environment for families with babies to come for a cuppa and advice. Anyone with a baby is welcome to attend. The baby café will be closed on the 3rd, 10th & 24th August, but any other time all families are welcome to drop in.
Further information about the Baby Café or Positive about breastfeeding can be found here.
