New mums across Lanarkshire can now easily access additional information around breastfeeding, in the form of a suite of animated videos.  

Launched during Scottish Breastfeeding Awareness Week 2019, the collection of colourful and light-hearted animations will ‘myth bust’ common misconceptions around breastfeeding.

The animations highlight getting out and about when you are breastfeeding, how to know your baby is getting enough milk and frequency of feeding.

They also include information on baby’s health, sleeping patterns and tips on how family and friends can help support new parents.

Anne Marie Bruce, infant feeding development midwife for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “Breastfeeding is natural, but learning how to make it work for you both takes time and patience.

“Because we are living in a bottle feeding culture, parents can be under pressure to stop breastfeeding because we have forgotten what normal baby behaviour looks like.

“The animations are designed to provide information for new parents and their friends and families to reassure them that things are going well and where to get help if they need it.”

The six short animations were developed following feedback from mums who expressed the challenges they had faced while breastfeeding and what they believed the common myths are that discourage other mums to breastfeed or to continue breastfeeding.

The animations take each of these myths and provide accurate information on each subject.

Susan Short, public health nutritionist for NHS Lanarkshire, said: “Research shows that the effects of breastfeeding your baby last well into childhood and beyond.

“Breastfeeding may be natural, but for most of us it takes a bit of practice. Even if you've breastfed before remember that your new baby hasn't, so try not to worry if getting the hang of it is taking a little longer than you expected.

“These animations have been created to give mums reassurance and where they have concerns they can get quick access to help”

NHS Lanarkshire has a number of breastfeeding groups that run weekly throughout both North and South Lanarkshire. They are an excellent opportunity to meet up with other breastfeeding mums and get advice from breastfeeding experts.

If a mum has any questions around infant feeding or worries about feeding then they can call the infant feeding team on 01698 366710