Actress and model Lily Cole has returned to the London hospital where she gave to birth to thank midwives for teaching her to breastfeed her baby.
Cole, 27, went to St Thomas’, in Lambeth, a fortnight after announcing the birth of daughter Wylde to present staff with a Unicef Baby Friendly award.
She said: “The care I received at St Thomas’ hospital was wonderful. I was in hospital for two days after the birth and I had no idea how to breastfeed.
“I was so grateful to be in an environment where I was constantly helped to learn how to breastfeed. By the time I left I had the confidence to feed my baby at home on my own — and it has been easy ever since.”
Wylde is the first child for Cole and partner Kwame Ferreira. She was born in the summer but Ms Cole waited until this month to announce her arrival by posting pictures on Instagram, adding: “Born on the hottest day … We have a little girl – YAY!”
The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health says breastfeeding is the healthiest, cheapest way to feed a baby. It lowers the risk of respiratory infections, sudden infant death, obesity, diabetes and allergies in the child and protects the mother against breast and ovarian cancer. But the UK has the lowest rate in the western world with just half of mothers breastfeeding after six weeks. The Baby Friendly initiative, set up by Unicef and the World Health Organisation, promotes breastfeeding to strengthen mother-baby bonds.
Lynne Pacanowski, director of midwifery at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS trust, said they were delighted to welcome Cole back, adding: “Her experience, and the experience of many of our other new mothers, is testament to the commitment of our dedicated breastfeeding midwives.”
Anne Woods, of Unicef, said: “Our surveys show that most mothers want to breastfeed but don’t always get the support they need. Mothers at St Thomas’ can be confident that the staff will provide the highest standards of care.”
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