The Baby Friendly Initiative Annual Conference took place in Liverpool last week (24/25 November), with over 830 health professionals, supporters and others in attendance.
Delegates were celebrating both the increase in breastfeeding initiation rates, shown in the latest UK Infant Feeding Survey, and a record year for Baby Friendly awards, with 230 this year, including 31 new fully accredited units.
Speakers and topics on day two included John Carnochan of the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit on how violence is a product of environment, Mary Renfrew, Professor at the Mother and Infant Research Unit at the University of York and UNICEF UK Board Member, on how current health service practice enables women to breastfeed and what the future may hold, Pat Hoddinot from the University of Aberdeen on the experiences of disadvantaged families around breastfeeding, Paula Meier on peer support in the NICU, and Janette Westman and Helen Ball, of Durham University's Parent-Infant Sleep Lab, on what the Bradford Infant Care Study told us about cultural differences around breastfeeding and sleep environment.
Click here to view the photos from day one of the conference.
Two delegates read the conference programme while waiting for the second day's talks to start.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
John Carnochan addresses the audience on the work done by the Scottish Violence Reduction Unit. He argues that violence is a public health issue and needs to be treated as such.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
A young delegate looks at the Baby Friendly Initiative conference delegate pack.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
Volunteer stewards Claire Campbell and Kate Allen. Both work in Liverpool supporting mothers and babies through peer support and children's centres.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
Delegates settle down to watch Pat Hoddinot speak. Pat highlighted the factors that determined behaviour change around breastfeeding in disadvantaged groups.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
A delegate takes a break after the morning's talks.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
Conference delegates take a break during lunch.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
Paula Meier speaks to the audience. Paula highlighted the work that Rush University Medical Center does to make parents partners in the care of their children in the NICU and the role that breastmilk can play in that.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
Conference ends and the delegates begin the journey home from Liverpool. Next year's conference takes place in Cardiff on 5/6 December 2012.
UNICEF UK/Jill Jennings 2011
