A COVENTRY NHS trust is the latest UK health care facility to win international recognition from Unicef.
The Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust was awarded the prestigious Unicef Baby Friendly Award for the second time.
The award was presented by the Lord Mayor of Coventry, councillor Tony Skipper, on May 3 at the council house.
The Baby Friendly Initiative, set up by Unicef – an international childrens’ charity – and the World Health Organisation, is a global programme which provides a practical and effective way for health services to improve the care provided for all mothers and babies.
In the UK, the initiative works with UK public services to protect, promote, and support breastfeeding and to strengthen mother-baby and family relationships.
Carmen Baskerville, specialist health visitor and infant feeding lead at the trust, said: “We decided to join forces with Unicef UK’s Baby Friendly Initiative to increase breastfeeding rates and to improve care for all mothers in Coventry.
“Breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses including gastroenteritis and respiratory infections in infancy, as well as asthma, cardiovascular disease and diabetes in later life.
“We also know that breastfeeding reduces the mother’s risk of some cancers.
“New babies have a strong need to be close to their parents as it helps them to feel safe and loved, and when babies’ needs for love and comfort are met they grow up to be more confident and secure.
“However a mother chooses to feed her baby, she can be sure that she will be supported to form a strong loving relationship with her newborn – through having maximum skin to skin contact and understanding how her baby communicates with her and needs her to respond.”
Sue Ashmore, Baby Friendly Initiative programme director, said: “We are delighted that the trust has achieved the re-accreditation award for UNICEF Baby Friendly status.
“Surveys show us that most mothers want to breastfeed but don’t always get the support they need.
“Mothers at the trust can be confident that their health visitors will provide high standards of care.”
For further information call on 07904 984620 or email [email protected]
For further information about the UNICEF Baby Friendly Programme, contact the Baby Friendly Initiative Office on 0207 375 6093 or the Unicef UK press office on 020 7375 6030 on [email protected]. Or visit www.unicef.org.uk/babyfriendly
