The Baby Cafe

Breastfeeding advice from the NHS The Oxford Baby Cafe Bus Breastfeeding campaigners in Oxfordshire say more support needs to be given to help new mums keep on doing it. While more than three quarters of women start off breastfeeding their babies, less than half are still doing it when their child is four weeks old.

Julie Osborne, who runs Oxfordshire's Baby Cafe Bus—a bus that travels around and runs mobile sessions for mums to get advice on how to breastfeed—reckons more support would up the proportion of mums who keep on breastfeeding, and benefit both mum and baby.

"It can feel quite overwhelming if the feeding is all down to you and nobody else can really help," she said. "People are left a little bit to their own devices and it's up to them to go and find support if they can and are able to."

She thinks more support should be offered to mums, rather than them having to go and look for it themselves.

Breastfeeding is good for both women and babies because it ensures the child has all the nutrients they need for the first six months of life. It can also reduce mums' chances of developing some diseases later in life.

Monday 21 June 2010 is the start of National Breastfeeding Week.

Baby Café Bus in the radio—February 2010

Click here to listen to a recent Radio Oxford interview with Julie Osborne from the Oxford Baby Café Bus.

'Breast is best' bus celebrates birthday

The Oxford Baby Café Bus has celebrated its second birthday. The bus, which is staffed by counsellors and volunteers, and supported by health visitors and midwives, now calls at eight venues a week.

Project leader Julie Osborne said: “It’s very important, because a mother’s milk is perfectly made for her baby. Even if people are embarrassed about breast feeding, and feel uncomfortable doing it in public, there are other ways of getting the breast milk to a baby, for example a pump. In the early weeks of having a new baby there is so much to get used to. Most women want to breastfeed but need encouragement and sometimes skilled help to overcome common problems. It is not rocket science, but a few good tips make a huge difference to getting it comfortable and sustainable.”

Studies have shown breast milk can provide babies with all the nutrients they need in the first six months of their lives and help protect them against health problems such as asthma and eczema. It is also thought to reduce the chance of mothers developing ovarian or breast cancer and guard against osteoporosis in later life.

Anna Lawrence began visiting the bus when she had a painful experience trying to feed her baby son Ernie, who is now nine months old. She was so pleased with the support she got, she now volunteers with the service. She said: “For me the biggest fear, because I so desperately wanted to breast feed, would be to be told I should probably give up. Anyone who wants to breast feed should be given the chance and support to be shown how to—and that’s what the bus does.”

Link to Oxford Mail article

'Milk float' cafe promotes breastfeeding

Oxford Mail Article November 2007

By Victoria Owen

Breastfeeding counsellors are celebrating the success of their mobile baby cafe after the 200th mother and baby stepped inside.
Lucy Taylor, of Randolph Street, East Oxford, visited the 18-seater bus - which is the UK's first - when it made a stop in nearby Cowley Road, to get advice about nursing her three-week-old son William. Although the new mum has been breastfeeding her son since he was born at the John Radcliffe Hospital, weighing 6lb 13oz, she was finding it difficult and needed help. Mrs Taylor, who is currently on maternity leave from Oxfam's humanitarian department, said: "My health visitor told me about the bus after I said I was struggling. They were very helpful and I've found breastfeeding a lot better since then. "Although it was difficult, I told myself to keep going until the baby cafe stopped in Cowley Road. I would recommend it to other mothers, and I'd go back again if I ever need more help."
The mobile Baby Café, which has been dubbed the milk float, started its engine in May, and visits Northway Tower, Marston, on Mondays, Donnington Doorstep Family Centre on Tuesdays, and Cutteslowe Community Centre on Fridays. The city also plays host to static baby cafes in Rose Hill, Headington and Blackbird Leys. Mothers can visit any of the cafes to meet with other mums and get advice from health visitors, midwives and breastfeeding experts. Counsellor and project leader Julie Osborne said: "We're looking at locations to stop the bus next year and want to be where it will be used to capacity, so we want to be where there's a lot of hustle and bustle, which is why we went to Cowley Road. "It was very successful and we certainly might be including it in our plans for 2008. It's wonderful to know that we've had 200 visits since launching the mobile baby cafe. It's exciting to know we're growing in popularity, and that word is spreading about us."

Pictures from the Oxford Baby Café Bus Launch in May 2007

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Breastfeeding mums 'need more support' Feature on Heart Radio June 2010

Baby Café Bus in the radio—February 2010

'Breast is best' bus celebrates birthday

'Milk float' cafe promotes breastfeeding

Pictures from the Oxford Baby Café Bus Launch in May 2007

Breastfeeding mums 'need more support'
Feature on Heart Radio June 2010