The County Durham Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme

Breastfeeding gives babies the best start in life. The Department of Health recommends exclusive breastfeeding, that is giving your baby breast milk only, for the first six months of their life.

To support this, we have launched a Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme, encouraging local businesses to show their support for breastfeeding mothers.

I'm a breastfeeding mum, how can I find breastfeeding friendly venues?

Participating venues display the breastfeeding friendly window sticker, so families can recognise them as being part of the scheme.

All libraries in County Durham are currently signed up to the Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme (see Find a library). For details of these, and of other organisations in the scheme, please see the following:

If you would like to provide any feedback on the scheme or your experiences of breastfeeding in County Durham, please Contact Public Health.

What County Durham mums think of the scheme

Emma, mum to Jack and Joshua, said: "I think it's important to have breastfeeding friendly venues because some mums are self-conscious about feeding in public. It's good to be able to feed in a friendly environment where no one is going to comment or make you feel self-conscious."

Julie, mum to Amelia, Ashton and Adam, said: "A lot of women don't have the confidence to breastfeed in public. Knowing that some venues openly welcome them can boost their confidence."

How can my business join the scheme?

There are no costs to be part of the scheme. Staff members will be provided with a short breastfeeding awareness session. We also ask you to display the breastfeeding friendly sticker in your window, so families can recognise your venue as being part of the scheme.

How will my business benefit?

Being breastfeeding friendly is good for business because:

• it can improve your customer service
• it can attract new customers and improve existing customer loyalty
• it is good publicity and participating businesses are listed on this web page
• when families feel welcome they may stay longer and spend more
• breastfeeding provides lifelong health benefits for both mother and child. By helping to make it easier for women to breastfeed, you will be making a positive contribution to the health of people in your community.

The breastfeeding friendly pledge

Businesses signing up to the scheme, pledge to:

• hold a staff awareness session and all staff members understand and support the Breastfeeding Friendly Scheme
• respond sensitively if inappropriate comments are made about breastfeeding in their venue.
• provide a clean and comfortable environment to breastfeed in and if possible provide a more private area to breastfeed in - this will not be the toilets
• offer breastfeeding mums a glass of water without charge
• where possible, staff members will offer to take food and drink orders over to breastfeeding mums so they don't have to interrupt their baby's feed
• display the breastfeeding friendly window sticker, so families can recognise their venue as being part of the scheme.

If you would like further information about the scheme, please Contact Public Health.