Baby feeding in Hounslow

We are committed to helping remove barriers to breastfeeding and support parents to breastfeed if they choose to do so.

This commitment is described in detail in our Baby Feeding Plan.

Support we offer

You can access the following types of support:

NCT Baby Cafés

NCT Baby Café is a free drop-in session which supports parents to feed their baby. It is run by a qualified NCT Breastfeeding Counsellor and is available:

  • Mondays at Alf King Family Hub (10am to 11.30am)
  • Tuesdays at Chiswick Children's Centre (10.15am to 11.45am)
  • Wednesdays at Lampton Family Hub (10am to 12 noon)
  • Thursdays at South Isleworth Children's Centre (10am to 11.30am)

More information: NCT website - NCT Baby Café

Breastfeeding antenatal workshop

Free breastfeeding workshops at West Middlesex University Hospital.

More information and booking: Eventbrite website - West Middlesex Hospital Breastfeeding Workshops

Preparing for early days antenatal workshop

Free workshops at West Middlesex University Hospital to support you with caring for a newborn baby.

More information and booking: Eventbrite website - West Middlesex Hospital Early Days Workshops

Postnatal breastfeeding drop-ins

Postnatal infant feeding drop-in support groups run by the infant feeding team of West Middlesex Hospital.

More information and schedule: Padlet website - Feeding and Nurturing your Baby

Complex breastfeeding clinic

For families with more complex feeding needs and challenges.

Referral and booking via the maternity team.

Health visiting service

Baby feeding support and advice from health vistors, who are trained to UNICEF baby friendly standards.

The health visiting advice line can also provide support over the phone or book you in to see a health visitor.

More information: Hounslow Healther Together website - Health Visiting

Family Hubs and Childrens' Centres

Baby feeding support and advice from Family Hub and Childrens’ Centre staff, who are trained to UNICEF baby friendly standards. They can also refer you to more specialist support if required. See:

Baby Feeding Friendly network

The Hounslow Baby Feeding Friendly (BFF) network supports parents and families to feel comfortable when feeding their babies in public through a network of baby feeding friendly venues.

The right to breastfeed in any public place is protected by law. This means that breastfeeding parents should never be asked to move, stop feeding, or leave.

However, parents sometimes feel uncertain about whether venues and their staff will put this into practice. The BFF network reassures them that they can breastfeed without this uncertainty.

Businesses can find out more about signing up for the BFF Network.

Baby Feeding Friendly poster

Baby feeding friendly venues

Businesses:
Children's Centres:
  • Chiswick Children’s Centre
  • South Isleworth Children’s Centre
  • Beavers Children’s Centre, Hounslow
  • Cranford Children’s Centre
  • Midsummer Park Children’s Centre
  • Bedfont Children’s Centre, Feltham
  • Crane Park Children’s Centre, Hanworth

For timetables, see: Hounslow Family Service Directory website - Children's Centres

Family Hubs:
Libraries:
Lampton Leisure Centres:

Joining the BFF network

Any Hounslow venue such as hairdressers, shops, cafes, restaurants and community centres can be part of the Hounslow BFF network. Businesses can choose to sign up individually or across a group of premises.

By joining other local venues in actively welcoming breastfeeding, you arel:

  • showing that you care about your customers feeling comfortable
  • letting parents know that you will uphold their legal right to breastfeed in your venue
  • helping promote your business within the community

You will need to:

  • display two posters, which we provide, to welcome breastfeeding families
  • make sure that your staff understand someone’s legal right to feed in public

For more information and to sign up, email publichealth@hounslow.gov.uk.

Breastfeeding websites and other resources

Baby Feeding Plan

Our Baby Feeding Plan aims to support, promote and normalise breastfeeding across the borough. It provides guidance to support more mothers to start breastfeeding and continue for as long as they want to, if that is their preferred option to feed their child.

The plan highlights the need for targeted action to address barriers to accessing support and improve breastfeeding rates. The objectives outlined in the plan will work to ensure that breastfeeding support is equitable and accessible for all families.

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