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Breastfeeding reduces the risk of cot death
THE Foundation
for the Study of Infant Deaths (FSID) announces its latest advice
that breastfeeding your baby can reduce the risk of cot death. The
advice, released to launch FSID's cot death awareness drive Save a
Baby Month which is now running until 31 May 2008, is based on
research which showed that babies who were at least partly breastfed
were 1/3rd less likely to die as a cot death than babies who were
never breastfed.
FSID Director, Joyce Epstein, says:- "There are so many
reasons why breast is best, but there are none that can be stronger
than potentially saving your child's life. We encourage every new
mum to breastfeed."
Angela Griffin, FSID's celebrity patron, breastfed both of her
daughters and says:- "Realising you're the only person in the
world who can give your child exactly what they need is such a great
feeling."
Sally Inch, infant feeding specialist at Oxford Radcliffe NHS Trust,
says:- "The more we discover about breastfeeding, the more
important it becomes. Not only does breastfeeding provide the baby
with all the nutrients needed, in a form that cannot be replicated
artificially, but a baby who is breastfed is at reduced risk of
infections (particularly gut, ear, chest and urine infections) and
less likely to be hospitalised as a result."
Any breastfeeding, even a few days, is better than none, but most
authorities including the Department of Health now recommend that
babies be exclusively breastfed for at least six months and that
breastfeeding is continued, with the addition of appropriate
weaning foods, for as long as the mother and baby want.
If you need breastfeeding advice or support, please contact your
midwife, health visitor, local baby café or peer supporter, or ring
the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0844 20 909 20.
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Aldo Zilli opens 'Home'
A new 35,000
sq ft of furnishing showroom and store opened on Saturday, 3 May
2008 in Birkenhead. The store called 'Home' is a new concept in
shopping offering a fantastic choice of stylish and affordable
products which are available to take away there and then. Joining
Managing Director Wayne Prince for the opening was the Mayor and
Mayoress of Wirral, celebrity chef Aldo Zilli and hoards of bank
holiday weekend shoppers.
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Chairman calls for more integrated transport
Report with thanks to Matthew
King, Southport and Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust
THE Chairman
of Southport & Ormskirk Hospital NHS Trust, Sir Ron Watson has
called for a much more integrated approach to parking and transport
issues from the various interested parties.
Sir Ron said:- "The Trust Board will be considering in the
summer a review of the car parking charges at the hospitals after
having taken professional advice with a view to introducing a new
scheme at the start of 2009.
I have personally felt for sometime that the current system is
something of a 'blunt instrument', and I am anxious to ensure that
any new system - while not obviating the need to raise the revenue
for much needed hospital services - should be more sensitive to the
amounts of time that people can be expected to be at the hospital
for either outpatient appointments or as visitors.
I think such a scheme will be feasible, but it is only part of a
general process where actions by other agencies could help in an
overall sense."
Sir Ron cited a number of specific examples...
The park and ride at Kew - a system whereby the bus was routed via
the hospital would mean that people could park at the park and ride
producing much needed revenue for the Local Authority while also
enabling the hospital staff in particular to park within a
reasonable distance of the hospital at a modest cost.
Residents permits; residents in the area of Southport & Formby
District General Hospital quite rightly feel aggrieved that a
certain amount of their peace and quiet is disturbed by people
parking outside their homes and visiting the hospital and a
residents' permit scheme would help resolve this issue.
Double yellow lines; there is still an issue as to whether or not
these are sited in the right areas and a review based on experience
over the past 12 months in particular would help identify ways in
which these parking restrictions could be made more appropriate for
the area.
Signage to the hospitals; this could be improved in both Southport
and Ormskirk as it is not always clear that the A&E at Southport is
only for adults and the A&E at Ormskirk is only for children.
Bus services to Southport & Formby District General Hospital; there
are still considerable gaps in service and, for example, there are
no bus services from the 'Birkdale Village' area to
the hospital and passengers have to go into the town centre and then
out again, making it quite a long and often tedious journey,
particularly for the elderly, in which there are a high proportion
in many parts of the Birkdale area.
Sir Ron concluded:- "I hope that we will be able to arrange a
'round table' meeting in due course that will link in with the
hospitals timeframe for their own car parking issues and if all
parties work constructively together there is no doubt in my mind
that considerable progress in this very important area for the
public can be made." |
