RD&E signs up to Devon Positive about Breastfeeding initiative

The Royal Devon and Exeter NHS Foundation Trust have joined forces with Devon County Council and other local businesses to raise awareness and celebrate breastfeeding, as part of Devon County Council’s scheme, Devon Positive about Breastfeeding. 

The scheme, which was launched to coincide with World Breastfeeding Week, aims to raise the positive profile of breastfeeding in public. It acknowledges and advertises the World Health Organization’s recommendations that breastfeeding is the normal way for a baby to feed for the first six months of life, and then for as long as mum and baby wish to, as part of a varied diet.

To celebrate the initiative, parents were invited in to a coffee morning at the RD&E and were joined by RD&E Chief Executive, Suzanne Tracey, and Deputy Chief Executive/Chief Nurse and Baby Friendly Guardian, Prof Em Wilkinson-Brice. 

Em said: “This is a really important scheme and I’m proud the RD&E is getting behind it. Mothers pass through our Trust for all manner of reasons - as staff, as patients themselves, bringing children or elderly relatives in to outpatients, or as visitors. Sometimes they will be here for many hours, during which time their baby will want to feed or they may need to express milk. Mothers should be able to do this in a comfortable environment.

“Our sign up and commitment to the ‘Devon Positive about Breastfeeding’ scheme lets families know that our organisation will advocate for them, enabling feeding wherever they are within our Trust.”