Library image – Breastfeeding
A total 35 Kent businesses and organisations including voluntary, community and social enterprise groups, have recently successfully applied for a £1,000 grant from Kent County Council (KCC) to make their premises more breastfeeding friendly for customers.
Now more cafes, restaurants, shops, hairdressers and health and beauty salons are being encouraged to bid for funding to make it easier for families to breastfeed away from home as the application deadline has been extended to the end of the month.
For details about the grants, including how to apply by Wednesday, 31st January 2024, visit the KCC website.
Terry, of HatHats Coffee in Whitstable, said becoming a breastfeeding-friendly business “has been really important” for his seaside coffee shop.
Terry said: “Mums and breastfeeding parents know we will give them a warm welcome which makes them feel less nervous. It shows we care and helps our business by encouraging mums to visit us again.”
Training staff to give a warm welcome to breastfeeding parents, and offering a family-friendly area where they can feed an infant while keeping older children occupied with books, toys or drawing, are just two things that can make breastfeeding easier.
How businesses can help:
- ensuring easy access for pushchairs and buggies
- introducing hands-free technology, such as voice-activated apps, for ordering services such as food or drinks
- putting up a #BesideYou sticker or poster to show your customers you support breastfeeding mums. Visit We Are Beside You for more details, or email the team directly at kentchft.infantfeedingteam@nhs.net, and
- you could also join #BesideYou social media accounts including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to let families know they are welcome to breastfeed at your venue.
- Visit the Kent Community Health Foundation Trust’s Kent Baby website and the NHS Better Health Start for Life site for information about all means of infant feeding.
- Go to nhs.uk to find out more about: