Our Maternity Services were the first service to achieve the UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) GOLD accreditation in 2017 and then revalidation in 2018, 2021 and 2024. This accreditation demonstrates long term sustainability of the BFI infant feeding and relationship building standards and progression beyond them.
Our infant feeding webpage has lots of information about infant feeding and relationship building for parents to see.
Click the icon above for more information on our UNICEF UK Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) GOLD Reaccreditation.
Need help with feeding?
Community Midwives:
Blackburn with Darwen and Hyndburn and Ribble Valley: 01254 733434
Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale: 01282 803434
Health Visiting teams:
East Lancashire: 0300 247 0040
Blackburn with Darwen: 01254 585000
National Breastfeeding Helpline (open 24/7 including bank holidays):
0300 100 0212 - includes English, Polish and Welsh translations
0300 456 2421 - Bengali and Sylheti
National Childbirth Trust (NCT):
National Childbirth Trust (NCT) - Lancashire residents only (NOT Blackburn with Darwen)
NCT Lancs phone number: 02087529025
NCT National helpline: 0300 330 0700 (8am-12pm 7 days a week and manned by breastfeeding councillors)
Breastfeeding groups/support options
Visiting a breastfeeding group both in your pregnancy and after your baby is born can be a great way to share experiences and support with other breastfeeding families.
A chance to meet new friends and receive feeding support from trained professionals if needed.
No appointment necessary - just drop in.
Monday
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Wensley Fold Children’s Centre BB2 6NL (01254) 585085
Tuesday
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Livesey Family Hub BB2 4NU (01254) 507950
Wednesday
1:00pm – 2:00pm
Shadsworth Family Hub BB1 2HR (01254) 585209
Thursday
12:30pm – 1:30pm
Little Harwood Family Hub BB1 5PE (01254) 506910
*Sling library first Thursday of each month 12:30pm – 2:00pm
Friday
10:00am – 11:00am
Darwen Family Hub BB3 0HD (01254) 778900
Click here to download the BwD Breastfeeding Groups flyer.
(Please note this PDF download is not in an accessible format)
West Pennine Slings
Find out about babywearing and try out different baby carriers.
Why use the sling library?
- Discover all you need to know about carriers and slings before and after birth
- Try out and borrow carriers - free hires for all BwD residents
- Babywearing has many benefits for baby and you
- Carriers can be used from newborn to around four years old
Join us at one of our playgroups or walks
Playgroups
- Every Wednesday 10am-11.30am at Darwen Valley Community Centre
- First Thursday of the month 12.30pm-2pm at LIttle Harwood Children's Centre
Walks
- Every Monday 10am-11.30am at a different venue each month - get in touch for more details
Mobile: 07900987789
Email: info@wpslings.com
What is Anya?
Anya is an app providing expectant and new parents with 24/7 evidence-based support.
Who can get the app? How does it work?
Any resident of Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire is eligible for a premium licence for the duration of Pregnancy +4 months postnatally.
When they download the app and enter their postcode, they will automatically receive a FREE Premium upgrade – simple!
What support can parents get in the app?
The Anya app supports parents on a range of topics through the first 1001 days, with an AI virtual companion,
1-2-1 human specialist support, 3D animations, articles and webinars and much more!
Download Anya - 24/7 Personalised Health Support with Anya.
For more information on NCT across Lancashire, visit their website.
Moving onto solid foods
Introducing solid foods is an exciting stage in your babies' development. The resources below provide trusted information and practical guidance on when and how to start complementary feeding, helping you to support your babies as they explore new tastes and textures.
"Eating well: the first year. A guide introducing solids and eating well up to baby's first birthday" which can be downloaded and printed for free is also a fantasics resource for parents
Weaning - Best Start in Life - NHS
Campaign to help parents with introducing babies to solid food - GOV.UK
Useful Websites & Resources
Below are a list of useful websites for general information and breastfeeding support. Simply search the below on your internet browser:
- Lancashire and South Cumbria Better Births - support with preparing for parenthood and after bith
- HRCG - Feeding your baby postnatally
- Breastfeeding Network (BfN) - providing drugs in breast milk fact sheets
- Twins Trust
- First Steps Nutrition - information about formula milks
- Tongue Tie Association
For UNICEF leaflets and videos on Skin to Skin, Parent information, Infant Feeding and overcoming challenges, hand expressing your breast milk, breastfeeding in public please and much more, please follow this link.
Resources in other languages
The UNICEF Baby Friendly Initiative has published Breastfeeding and Bottle feeding written resources in
Arabic, Bengali, Hindi, Lithuanian, Mandarin, Polish, Romanian, Slovak, Turkish, Urdu and Ukranian.