The UK is concerned by the detention on 26 March of hundreds of Russian citizens following organised protests, which included journalists and opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Russian citizens were exercising their fundamental rights to freedom of exp… read more
Almost three-quarters of women start breastfeeding when their child is born, but this drops to 44% within 6 to 8 weeks. However, evidence shows the right support helps mums to breastfeed for longer. Public Health England (PHE) recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months.
A new survey of 500 mothers of young children commissioned by PHE showed that more than half were concerned that breastfeeding could mean they wouldn’t be able to tell if their baby was getting too much or not enough milk. A similar proportion of mums surveyed thought that people might assume they need a special diet to breastfeed. Nearly 3 in 10 worried that breastfeeding could mean their baby might not be getting the right nutrients, indicating why mothers may stop breastfeeding at this early point.
Breastfeeding boosts a baby’s ability to fight illness and infection. Babies who are not breastfed are more likely to get diarrhoea and respiratory infections. It lowers a mother’s risk of ovarian and breast cancer, and also burns around 500 calories a day.
Start4Life, PHE’s marketing programme that helps parents-to-be and parents to adopt healthy behaviours, has launched a new interactive Breastfeeding Friend (BFF) ChatBot. The BFF is accessed through Facebook messenger and provides personal support for mothers at any time of the day or night to help make breastfeeding a better experience. The BFF will also dispel breastfeeding myths and help alleviate concerns mums have. The ChatBot works as a live chat tool which is able to respond to questions about breastfeeding posed by the user.
Viv Bennett, Chief Nurse at PHE said:
Breastfeeding, while natural, is something that all mums and their babies learn by doing. Mums tell us that after the first few weeks breastfeeding becomes easier, so proper support is crucial at this time, which is where our BFF is designed to help.
We can all help women feel comfortable breastfeeding their baby wherever they are. Creating a wider culture of encouragement and support will help make a mother’s experience all the more positive.
The survey also confirmed that breastfeeding in public is something that mums are concerned about. The mothers polled were most likely to say that they would feel embarrassed breastfeeding in the presence of people they don’t know (63%). 59% feel the same about partner’s family and 49% felt it about siblings and wider family members.
Minister for Public Health and Innovation Nicola Blackwood said:
Research shows that breastfeeding gives babies the best start in life but I know it’s not always easy for new mums to start. Start4Life’s new interactive Facebook messenger ChatBot is a quick and easy way for mums to get help and information, and complements the ongoing support from their midwifery team and health visitor.
Jacque Gerrard, Director for England at Royal College of Midwives’ said:
Getting infant feeding right will help give new-born babies the best possible start in life. Women need all the support they can get, particularly first time mothers. It is important that midwives and maternity support workers continue to promote breastfeeding. Any initiative that goes towards helping mothers start and sustain breastfeeding for longer is positive as we know the health benefits from being breastfed last a lifetime.
High-profile figures who promote breastfeeding had a positive influence on the mums polled. Household names like Sam Faiers, Fearne Cotton and Blake Lively, who have recently championed breastfeeding on social media, inspired 49% of mums to breastfeed their own babies. Two-thirds (64%) felt more confident to breastfeed in public because of celebrity mums.
For more information, advice and tips on breastfeeding visit: www.nhs.uk/start4life.
To access the Breastfeeding BFF, simply open Facebook Messenger and search Start4Life BreastFeeding Friend or visit m.me/Start4LifeBreastFeedingFriend to get started.
For further information, images or interviews please contact:
Sometimes breastfeeding isn’t possible for a range of reasons. If this is the case, in terms of liquids babies should only be given infant formula milk for the first 12 months and no other types of milk.
Start4Life’s Baby Club and Start4Life website offers NHS information and advice for parents-to-be and parents of 0 to 5 year olds providing them with the advice they need to help get their child off to the best start in life.
The Department of Health is also supporting Unicef UK to develop a neonatal infant feeding network to support sick and preterm babies.
The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of Friday 24 March and could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with… read more
The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 27 March but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the ai… read more
The following summary of planned new and ongoing road improvements over the coming week is correct as of 24 March 2017 but could be subject to change due to weather conditions or unforeseen circumstances. All our improvement work is carried out with the aim of causing as little disruption as possible.
The southbound carriageway and all associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway and all associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 March until 30 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 8pm 27 March until 6am the following morning (28 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 8pm on 28 March until 6am the following morning (29 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 4.30am from 27 March until 1 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The roundabout and all approaches will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The westbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The westbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27th March until 2nd April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The westbound carriageway and entry slip road will be closed for 24 hours from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound entry and exit slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 20 March until 26 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound entry and exit slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound entry and exit slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 March until 30 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 28 March until 1 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound exit slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 29 March until 1 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed for 24 hours from 31 March until 3 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 20 March until 26 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
M40 – junction 3a M42 to M40 link road: carriageway works The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound exit slip road will be closed overnight for one night from 9pm on 27 March until 5.30am the following morning (28 March) A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway Including the Link Road from the M6 will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound link to M42 northbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 10pm on 29 March until 5.30am the following morning (30 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am on 27, 28 and 29 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am on 27, 28 and 29 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The westbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 March until 31 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The eastbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 8pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The westbound slip roads will be closed overnight between 8pm and 5am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The eastbound slip roads will be closed overnight between 8pm and 5am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The westbound carriageway and slip roads will be closed overnight for one night from 10pm 30 March until 6am the following morning (31 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The westbound entry slip road will be closed overnight for one night form 10pm 31 March until 5am the following morning (1 April). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway and associated slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound exit slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound entry slip road will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound exit and entry slip roads will be closed overnight between 9pm and 6am from 27 March until 2 April. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound entry slip road will be 24/7 from 9pm 24 March ongoing until 6am on the 27 March. These are 24 hour working from Friday night until Monday morning. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 9pm and 9am on the 24 and 26 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound exit slip road will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 March until 31 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway and entry and exit slip roads will be closed overnight for one night from 10pm 27 March until 5am the following morning (28 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound entry slip road will be closed overnight for one night from 9.45pm 27 March until 5.30am the following morning (28 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound exit slip road will be closed overnight for one night from 9.45pm 27 March until 5.30am the following morning (28 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 March until 31 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 9pm 28 March until 6am the following morning (29 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound entry slip road will be closed overnight for one night from 9pm 28 March until 6am the following morning (29 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 10pm 28 March until 5am the following morning (29 March). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound carriageway, Link Road and entry slip road will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 25 March until 27 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The southbound exit slip road will be closed overnight for one night from 8pm 1 April until 6am the following morning (2 April). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound carriageway will be closed overnight for one night from 10pm 1 April until 6am the following morning (2 April). A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
The northbound exit slip road will be closed overnight between 10pm and 6am from 27 March until 31 March. A diversion route will be clearly signposted.
Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.
Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.
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