Website and telephone payments Sunday 19 May
Our website and telephone payment systems are unavailable between 9am and 2pm on Sunday 19 May. You will not be able to pay for any council services on our website or over the phone during this time.
Breastfeeding is a great way to get your baby off to the best start. Find out more about the benefits of breastfeeding, local support available and the breastfeeding friendly venues award scheme below.
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 at NHS Breastfeeding and bottle feeding advice.
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:
- Northallerton library – every Tuesday, 10am to 11.30am
- Pickering library – every Tuesday, 1.30pm to 3pm
- Ripon library – every Wednesday, 1.30pm to 2.30pm
- Selby library – fortnightly on a Thursday, 10.30am to 12pm
- 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 you can download the Children’s Health Service App and find the details in the groups and workshops listings page.
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.
National breastfeeding support
Breastfeeding helplines:
- National Breastfeeding Helpline - 0300 100 0212
- National Childbirth Trust (NCT) helpline - 0300 330 0700
- La Leche League GB helpline - 0345 120 2918
- Association of Breastfeeding Mothers - 0300 330 5453
If you have specific questions about medications or treatments, please message the drugs in breast milk information service at druginformation@breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk
The Breastfeeding Network Drugs in Breastmilk Service
Breastfeeding network - Drugs in Breastmilk factsheets