Breastfeeding Counsellors: 

• Elizabeth 01452 813425 (early evenings only)
• Sue 01452 305957 (daytime only)
• Rachel 01452 859 753 (daytime only, between 10am-12noon is best)

Breastfeeding Line - 0300 330 0771 (8am–10pm, seven days a week).

Local Support Groups in Gloucestershire: 

Local breastfeeding support groups are held by the "Gloucestershire breastfeeding supporters' network" (GBSN) and the "Breastfeeding Network" (BfN). 

Current GBSN Groups:

CHELTENHAM

• BAPS Breastfeeding and Peer Support: Hesters Way Children’s Centre, next to the Primary School, Dill Avenue, Cheltenham GL51 0ES. 10-noon every Tuesday.
• GLOBES Gardners Lane Offering Breastfeeding Encouragement and Support: Gardners Lane Children’s Centre, Gardners Lane, Cheltenham GL51 9JW. 12.30-2.00pm every Thursday.

CHURCHDOWN

• CRIBS Churchdown Region Information and Breastfeeding Support: Church Hall, St John’s Church, Churchdown GL3 2DB. 9.30-11.30am every Thursday.  

CIRENCESTER 

• BEST Breastfeeding Encouragement and Support Team: Springboard Children's Centre, Trinity Road, Cirencester, GL7 1JU (Watermoor). 10-11.30am every Thursday.  

DURSLEY 

• MOBS in Dursley, Mothers Offering Breastfeeding Support: Parish Room, St James the Great Church, Dursley GL11 4JE. 10-noon every Monday.  

STROUD 

• MOBS in Stroud, Mothers Offering Breastfeeding Support: St Albans Church Hall, Parliament Street, Stroud GL5 1LW. 10.00-noon every Tuesday.  

TEWKESBURY

• BABES Breastfeeding and Babies’ Early Support:Noah’s Ark Children’s Centre, York Road, Priors Park, Tewkesbury GL20 5HU. 10.30-noon every Wednesday.   

Please check the website www.breastfeedingsupporters.org.uk before coming to the groups as funding is insecure. The groups do not open on bank holidays. A

ll groups are free. If you are pregnant or a breastfeeding mother who wants information, support, coffee or just a chat then please come along. All groups have a breastfeeding specialist worker and peer Supporters - local mothers who have breastfed their own baby and have been through a short training course to learn how to sup-port new mothers. The groups have library of books and videos to borrow. Some groups offer electric breastpump hire, as well as selling nursing bras, feeding pillows, and Doidy cups.

Please help the GBSN and NHS with their new scheme Gloucestershire Welcomes Breastfeeding by nominating breastfeeding-friendly places in Gloucestershire. Find more information here. 

Current BfN Groups (Mama Latte):  

• Bartongate Children’s Centre meet every Wednesday at 13:00-14:30.  The centre is on Sinope Street, Gloucester, GL1 4AW.  There is also a Health Visitor drop-in clinic from 14:30 at this centre. 
• The Beacon Children’s Centre meet every Thursday at 09:30-11:00. The centre is next to Kingsway Primary School, Valley Gardens, Gloucester, GL2 2ZZ.  There is also a Health Visitor drop-in clinic run at the same time. 

Mama Latte! New Support groups for Breastfeeding mums

Mums in Barton, Finlay and Tredworth can now access mum-to-mum support with breast-feeding at home, over the phone or by text and at two new groups called Mama Latte.

The personalised support is being offered by two local tutors in the Breastfeeding Network (BfN), who have been awarded a contract to provide care in partnership with hos-pital and community midwives based at Gloucester Royal Hospital.

Anne-Marie Thomas and Erika Devine will be supported by their team of five BfN registered helpers. “We‟re planning to work very closely with the maternity unit, meeting with Mums at ante-natal classes and on the wards, giving them contact details in case they need support or information,” said Anne-Marie.

“Many Mums who want to breastfeed find it all straightforward, but sometimes it can be a bit tricky to start with – and that‟s where our team comes in, because we‟re all volun-teer Mums who‟ve breastfed ourselves and who‟ve trained so we can help others enjoy the experience too.”

Contact: Anne-Marie Thomas 07505911669; Erika Devine 01425 540519 or Judith Fryer 01333 340494

 Other useful contacts:

La Leche League
Mother-to-mother support and information on breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Helpline: 0845 120 2918
www.laleche.org.uk

Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
Mother-to-mother support and information on breastfeeding
Breastfeeding Helpline: 08444 122 949
www.abm.me.uk

The Breastfeeding Network
Breastfeeding support and information
Breastfeeding Helpline: 08444 124 664

Bengali/Sylheti Support Line: 0300 456 2421
www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk

KellyMom
Evidence-based information on breastfeeding and parenting issues.
  www.kellymom.com

Baby Milk Action
A non-profit organisation which aims to save lives and to end the avoidable suffering caused by inappropriate infant feeding. Baby Milk Action works within a global network to strengthen independent, transparent and effective controls on the marketing of the baby feeding industry.
www.babymilkaction.org.uk

Association for the Improvement of Maternity Services (AIMS)
Campaigns for better understanding of the normal birth process and also provides support and information about maternity choices in the UK
www.aims.org.uk

NHS Direct
24hr advice on health worries. Useful out of normal GP hours.
Helpline: 0845 46 47
www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk