The NCT Breastfeeding helpline is
0300 330 0700
It is open 8am till midnight every day of the year
We also have York-based counsellors (nos. provided with permission):
- Nam Prakash Kaur (East Riding) - 07966 673037
- Sarah Wilson (York) - see pullout section of Coo and Babble
- Caroline Mytum (North York) - see pullout section of Coo and Babble
- Carolyn Neal (Selby) - 01757 706764 cjneal100@gmail.com
All NCT-trained Breastfeeding Counsellors offer their services free of charge to all new mothers to support them and help them establish and continue breastfeeding. They can offer information and support to parents on many aspects of baby feeding including weaning and returning to work etc.
Counsellors are mothers who have breastfed their own babies and have been trained to support, encourage and supply information to any expectant or new mum, dad or grandparent.
Calls are charged at national rates. At times you will hear a recorded message giving names and numbers of counsellors who are happy to take out of hours calls.
Most women want to breastfeed and many stop before they want to because of external pressures such as a lack of support. The NCT wants to work with parents and make sure the barriers that might be there are taken away and the NCT supported the recent change in the Equality Act 2010 which now explicitly protects the breastfeeding mother, making it illegal to ask a mum to stop or to leave a public place (including transport) because she is breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding drop-in groups in York and area
The North Yorkshire and York Primary Care Trust: http://www.nyypct.nhs.uk/StayingHealthy/breastfeeding/index.htmI is a really useful resource and lists many of the local support groups available right across the region. The following non-NCT breastfeeding support (peer supporter) groups also operate in our area.
- York: Treasure Chest - http://www.treasurechest.org.uk/ drop-ins with a Breastfeeding counsellor and trainee
- Whitby: an ABM affiliated support group drop-ins and antenatal Breastfeeding workshops for mothers interested in breastfeeding (and their partners) http://www.whitbybreaststart.weebly.com
- Scarborough: breastfeeding peer support drop-in sessions http://breastfriendsscarborough.weebly.com
Peer Supporter Training
The York branch is looking to set up peer supporter training programmes across the area, particularly reaching out to the village areas surrounding York. To do this we are needing volunteers to help with fund-raising, accessing grants, assisting as project organiser and so on.
If you or anyone you know might be in a position to offer help, working with our qualified Breastfeeding Counsellors who have done extra training as Peer Supporter Trainers, please contact 07966673037 for further details.
