Breast milk is the best food your baby can have. It’s tailor-made for your baby and helps:
- give them all the nutrients they need
- boost their ability to fight illness and infection
- lower your risk of breast cancer and ovarian cancer
- strengthen the bond between you and your baby
- protect our environment as there is no packaging or transport costs
Breast milk is also always at the right temperature and ready for your baby when they need feeding.
More information about breastfeeding including how to breastfeed, expressing your milk, breastfeeding challenges, breastfeeding in public and returning to work can be found on the NHS breastfeeding page.
For confidential breastfeeding information and support, call the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212. Lines are open 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Healthy Child Service - Local breastfeeding peer support
Our team of breastfeeding peer supporters provide families with breastfeeding support, infant nutrition advice and emotional support through a proactive calls service and breastfeeding support groups.
All breastfeeding parents are offered support and guidance via the proactive calls service – where suitable, these contacts are completed via the Microsoft Teams platform. Calls are made to breastfeeding parents following the new birth visit, which is completed by the Health Visitor and can continue until your baby is eight weeks old.
The breastfeeding support groups are free to attend and offer a welcoming environment for new and expectant mums to meet other breastfeeding mums, get help with breastfeeding issues and form new friendships. There is no need to book - families are very welcome to just drop in to any of the groups which meet at these locations:
- Knaresborough library – every Wednesday, 1pm to 2pm
- Northallerton library – every Tuesday, 10am to 11.30am
- Pickering library – every Tuesday, 1.30pm to 3pm
- Selby fire station community room – fortnightly on a Thursday, 10.30am to midday
- Sherburn-in-Elmet Old Girls’ School Community centre – fortnightly on a Thursday 1.30pm to 2.30pm
- Scarborough library – every Friday, 9.30am to 11am
For more details about the proactive calls service and breastfeeding support groups please call 0300 303 0916 or visit the Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust's information page about infant feeding.
You can also download the Children’s Health Service App and find the details in the groups and workshops listings page.
Children’s Health Service App Store for Apple devices
Children’s Health Service Google Play for Android devices
Hospital Trust information
Depending where you live will depend on which Trust you access for maternity care. Below are links to the Trust and additional breastfeeding support which is specific in either age or location.
Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust breastfeeding group
For babies up to four months old. Group meets at Harrogate Library, on Tuesdays from 9am to 10:30am.
Visit the Harrogate Town Breastfeeding Support Group website.
Airedale Infant Feeding Team
Breastfeeding support drop in at Skipton Library. Group meets first and third Monday of the month, 9.30am to 11.30am, and at Keighley Library on the second and fourth Monday of the month at the same time.
Visit the Airedale NHS Foundation Trust breastfeeding information page.
South Tees
Access help with feeding your baby on the dedicated breastfeeding page on the South Tees Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust website.
York and Scarborough Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
An integrated breastfeeding clinic and tongue tie service is based at York and Scarborough hospital, accessible by referral from a health care professional up to six weeks post delivery. Infant feeding leaflets are available for viewing on Badgernet. Beyond six weeks, the tongue tie service is run by the Max Fax department.
Humber and North Yorkshire Maternity and Neonatal voices
The independent groups are made up of service users and professionals to improve maternity and neonatal care experiences. To learn more on receiving information or to get involved visit the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Humber and North Yorkshire website to find a group nearest to you.
Breastfeeding friendly venues award
Breastfeeding is great for mums, babies, and the environment, but many women feel nervous about breastfeeding out and about, and this can mean they choose not to breastfeed or that they stop breastfeeding before they want to.
Our breastfeeding friendly venue scheme recognises public places across North Yorkshire which provide a comfortable, welcoming environment for breastfeeding mothers, with good facilities and support.
See local breastfeeding friendly venues here
If you have a venue and would like to join our scheme, you can contact us for more information. It is free and easy to join, and our team provide advice and support to help you meet all the award criteria. Once your registration request is approved, your business will be added to our directory, and you will receive a certificate and materials to display in your venue to help customers recognise you have a safe, welcoming place for breastfeeding mums.
Supporting your local community through this scheme will also help attract and retain customers, increase visits through the day, strengthen your reputation and build customer loyalty.