POWYS Teaching Health Board’s health visiting and maternity teams have been awarded Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) stage 3 accreditation by UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund).

The Baby Friendly Initiative 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, it works to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships. Support for these relationships is important for all babies, not only those who are breastfed.

Cate Langley, head of midwifery, and Helen James, head of children’s public health nursing, said: “We are extremely pleased that the hard work and team work of our staff, midwives and health visitors, has been recognised in this way. Powys has always had a great record of working with pregnant women and young children to help get them off to the best start and this award recognises the hard work and dedication by the teams.

`"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.”

There are three stages to the BFI and Powys has now been awarded all three.