New mums can get one-to-one breastfeeding support from the council’s Public Health team.
The Breastfeeding Network (BfN) is running a telephone support line as part of a 12-month pilot scheme.
The scheme will be on offer to new mums with babies under eight weeks old living in ten council wards with the lowest breastfeeding rates.
Houda Al-Sharifi, Wandsworth director of public health, said: “Breastfeeding is what’s best for babies, but we recognise that it can be difficult and painful at first. We want to provide the support women need to help all mums breastfeed if they want to.
“Our figures show that 91 per cent of new mums start breastfeeding – a higher rate than in the rest of London and a significant amount more than in the rest of England (73 per cent). By six to eight weeks this drops to 73 per cent.
“This is still a much higher rate than elsewhere, but we want it to be even better.”
The ten wards include: St Mary’s Park, Earlsfield, West Hill, Nightingale, Bedford, Shaftesbury, Furzedown, Queenstown, Latchmere, Roehampton and Putney Heath. For more information email wandsworthreferrals@breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk.
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