| | We're on the road to you!
'Breast is best' bus celebrates birthday
The Oxford Baby Café Bus has celebrated its second birthday.
The bus, which is staffed by counsellors and volunteers, and supported by health
visitors and midwives, now calls at eight venues a week.
Project leader Julie Osborne said: “It’s very important,
because a mother’s milk is perfectly made for her baby. Even if people are
embarrassed about breast feeding, and feel uncomfortable doing it in public,
there are other ways of getting the breast milk to a baby, for example a pump.
In the early weeks of having a new baby there is so much to get used to. Most
women want to breast feed but need encouragement and sometimes skilled help to
overcome common problems. It is not rocket science, but a few good tips make a
huge difference to getting it comfortable and sustainable.”
Studies have shown breast milk can provide babies with all the
nutrients they need in the first six months of their lives and help protect them
against health problems such as asthma and eczema. It is also thought to reduce
the chance of mothers developing ovarian or breast cancer and guard against
osteoporosis in later life.
| Anna Lawrence began visiting the bus when she had a
painful experience trying to feed her baby son Ernie, who is now nine
months old. She was so pleased with the support she got, she now
volunteers with the service. She said: “For me the biggest fear, because
I so desperately wanted to breast feed, would be to be told I should
probably give up. Anyone who wants to breast feed should be given the
chance and support to be shown how to—and that’s what the bus does.” |
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Link
to Oxford Mail article
'Milk float' cafe promotes breastfeeding
Oxford
Mail Article November 2007
By Victoria Owen
| Breastfeeding counsellors are celebrating the success of
their mobile baby cafe after the 200th mother and baby stepped inside. |
| Lucy Taylor, of Randolph Street, East Oxford, visited the 18-seater bus
- which is the UK's first - when it made a stop in nearby Cowley Road, to
get advice about nursing her three-week-old son William.
Although the new mum has been breastfeeding her son since he was born
at the John Radcliffe Hospital, weighing 6lb 13oz, she was finding it
difficult and needed help. Mrs Taylor, who is currently on maternity leave
from Oxfam's humanitarian department, said: "My health visitor told
me about the bus after I said I was struggling. They were very helpful and
I've found breastfeeding a lot better since then.
"Although it was difficult, I told myself to keep going until the
baby cafe stopped in Cowley Road. I would recommend it to other mothers,
and I'd go back again if I ever need more help." |
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| The mobile Baby Café, which has been dubbed the milk float,
started its engine in May, and visits Northway Tower, Marston, on Mondays,
Donnington Doorstep Family Centre on Tuesdays, and Cutteslowe Community
Centre on Fridays.
The city also plays host to static baby cafes in Rose Hill, Headington
and Blackbird Leys.
Mothers can visit any of the cafes to meet with other mums and get
advice from health visitors, midwives and breastfeeding experts.
Counsellor and project leader Julie Osborne said: "We're looking
at locations to stop the bus next year and want to be where it will be
used to capacity, so we want to be where there's a lot of hustle and
bustle, which is why we went to Cowley Road.
"It was very successful and we certainly might be including it in
our plans for 2008. It's wonderful to know that we've had 200 visits since
launching the mobile baby cafe. It's exciting to know we're growing in
popularity, and that word is spreading about us." |
Pictures from the Oxford Baby Café Bus Launch in May 2007
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