B.A.B.I.E.S (Babies And Breastfeeding: Information, Encouragement, Support) provides free breastfeeding support and help to all new mothers in the Basingstoke area.  B.A.B.I.E.S runs every Friday in Basingstoke and on alternate Tuesdays in Overton and Whitchurch.  Women can access any of our drop-ins, wherever they live, and are welcome to attend as many sessions as they wish.

The sessions are run by trained NCT breastfeeding counsellors, no appointment necessary, open to all.  Drop in for support or with questions about feeding your baby, weaning to bottles, introducing solids etc.  Women are encouraged to drop in when pregnant for an informal chat and to meet the breastfeeding counsellors.

B.A.B.I.E.S. meets every Friday morning in Basingstoke at  Brookvale Village Hall between 10.00am and 11.30am, alongside our popular Coffee & Chat Group for Bumps and Babies, (except Good Friday and Christmas Week) .  There is ample free parking available. There's no need to make an appointment. Just turn up!  If you have other children coming with you, they are welcome and they'll enjoy Coffee & Chat activities too. In addition, our bra fitter will be at B.A.B.I.E.S. Basingstoke every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month to help you find the right feeding bra for you.

B.A.B.I.E.S meets on alternate Tuesday mornings in Overton & Whitchurch startingon Tuesday 13th March at Snowdrops Children's Centre (in the Library) in Overton.  We will be at the Gill Nethercott Centre in Whitchurch the following week, 20th March, and will then alternate between the two venues on a weekly basis between 10.00am and 11.30am, see our events page for details of the next session.  For more info contact the Children's Centre Manager, Jane, on 07507 515499.

Basingstoke NCT breastfeeding counsellors Sarah, Mindy and Fiona (pictured above with Melinda Henry and baby Libby) are fully qualified and all have a DipHE in breastfeeding counselling. They receive regular, compulsory, ongoing training and supervision via the NCT. They are not medically qualified, so please take any medical questions to your health professional.

Funding
We would like to thank Water Babies and Four Lanes Trust for their financial support in enabling us to set up this service. We do need to continue to raise funds to ensure the long term viability of B.A.B.I.E.S. and our Events Organising Team is planning specific events in order to support us. We also rely on personal donations to keep this service running - click on the JustGiving logo to make a donation or shop through EasyFundraising to donate at no cost: 

Article from the Basingstoke Gazette on the launch of B.A.B.I.E.S

Photograph © Basingstoke Gazette