Grimsby Breastfeeding Support Group appealing for funding for training

A BREASTFEEDING support group faces an anxious wait to find out if it will receive funding next year.

The Grimsby Breastfeeding Support Group, which is based at the Diana, Princess Of Wales Hospital, offers guidance, advice and encouragement to give new mums the confidence to breast feed.

Although the service is delivered predominantly by volunteers, it needs funding from North East Lincolnshire Council to employ a small number of staff and for training.

Volunteer Gemma Croft said: "We have funding until the end of March, but we don't know if we will have funding for next year.

"The issue is it is not a priority and we believe it should be."

Asked if the group would be able to continue without funding, she said: "We don't know. It would rely solely on the volunteers."

The group has been running for about three years, offering peer support for new mums at sessions at children's centres and medical centres across the borough.

All the volunteers are mums who have breastfed their own children.

Gemma, 28, of Laceby Road, Grimsby, mum to Owen, 2, and Ellie, seven months, said: "I was given some wonderful support which allowed me to carry on breastfeeding and I wanted to give that support to other mums.

"Breastfeeding can feel very lonely and sometimes you need someone to say you are doing a good job.

"Breastfeeding is definitely best for baby and there are so many benefits to it healthwise. It keeps mum and baby calm and it helps with post-natal depression. It is what mother nature intended."

Amy, 26, of Freshney Green, said she noticed a huge difference in the support available after having her second child last year.

Amy, mum to Sam, 5, and Elsie, 1, said: "The second time there was more support and I wanted to be involved in offering that support.

"I have been a volunteer for about a year and a half."

Six months ago, Gemma and Amy started running regular meetings in public places to give women more confidence breastfeeding in public.

In the summer they held events outdoors in places such as People's Park and Cleethorpes boating lake.

During the winter they have met in breastfeeding friendly venues such as Muffin Break in Freshney Place and the Haven pub on Appian Way, where they held their Christmas party.

Gemma said: "Through peer support, one of the main things people were saying was they wanted to have more confidence breastfeeding in public.

"I thought the best thing to do was to get mums together as you feel less self-conscious if people around you are breastfeeding."

Gemma said recent comments by Ukip leader Nigel Farage, who suggested mothers should avoid being "openly ostentatious" when breastfeeding in public, were ill-informed and unhelpful.

"It was the last thing that any breastfeeding mum needs to hear. I do think breastfeeding mums are very vulnerable.

At the time of going to press, NELC was unable to confirm whether the funding would continue.

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