MOTHERS came together to celebrate national breastfeeding week at meeting in Upton last Wednesday.

As part of the week advocates promoted the merits of breastfeeding at a weekly meeting in Upton’s Riverboats Children Centre.

Parents celebrated the week at a Baby Latte breastfeeding meeting, held by the Malvern Branch of the National Childbirth Trust.

Frances Thurlow, NCT breastfeeding counsellor, said the meetings were an ideal place for parents to share experiences and support each other.

“Often it’s about making sure breastfeeding is comfortable and the baby is latching on well. If it’s not comfortable it’s not sustainable,” she said.

Mrs Thurlow said she met many young mothers who felt uncomfortable with breastfeeding in public.

“We give them the confidence that it’s okay to breastfeed in public. There was a time when it was the normal way to feed a baby,” she said.

“But we now live in a different society where bottle feeding is much more the norm. It’s all about reinstating the normality of breastfeeding.”

Mrs Thurlow said she had rarely encountered negative reactions to public breastfeeding after more than ten years of helping mothers.

Breastfeeding benefits a child’s IQ, immunity and development, according to Mrs Thurlow.

The Malvern Hills NCT branch is one of 300 NCT branches across the country.

Mothers, partners and other supporters are welcome to attend the meetings.