Kilmarnock railway station to welcome breastfeeding
This week Ayrshire mums and babies met up at the newly renovated Kilmarnock railway station to celebrate it being the latest local establishment to sign up to the ‘Breastfeed happily here’ campaign.
This week Ayrshire mums and babies met up at the newly renovated Kilmarnock railway station to celebrate it being the latest local establishment to sign up to the ‘Breastfeed happily here’ campaign.
Heather Collins, ScotRail’s stations manager for Ayrshire, said: “We are happy to support this campaign which will make mothers feel more at ease and help spread the word that breastfeeding in public is perfectly normal.”
The Breastfeeding etc. (Scotland) Act 2005 means that it is illegal to stop a mother feeding her baby breast or formula milk in premises where the public has general access.
Ruth Campbell, Consultant Dietician in Public Health Nutrition added: “Breast milk gives babies all the nutrients they need for the first six months of life and helps protect them from infection and diseases, such as ear infections, gastro-intestinal infections, chest infections, childhood diabetes and obesity. The longer a mum breastfeeds, the more health benefits there are for mother and baby.
“We are delighted that another organisation in Ayrshire has signed up, and would like to thank ScotRail for supporting our initiative.”
To join the scheme, a business must ensure that its employees are aware of the scheme and the legislation. They then agree to display the ‘Breastfeed happily here’ sticker to let all customers know that breastfeeding is welcomed on the premises.
More than 120 venues across Ayrshire and Arran have now signed up to the scheme - including, all NHS Ayrshire & Arran buildings, Stagecoach bus stations at Ayr and Kilmarnock, all local authority offices, and various local cafes, restaurants, sports centres, libraries, nurseries and opticians. Recently, the Harbour Art Centre in Irvine, Loxx Hair Salon in Ayr and Vikingar! In Largs have signed up.
If you would like to find out which venues have signed up to the ‘Breastfeed happily here’ campaign, or you are a business owner who would like to display a sticker, please email ayrshire@breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk or contact the Breastfeeding Network Facebook page by searching for ‘Breastfeed happily here Ayrshire’.
If you are a mother looking for breastfeeding advice and support, you can visit or call National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212.