NEW mothers are being shown ‘breast is best’ thanks to a new baby café at an Oxford hospital.

The breast-feeding clinics, known as baby cafés, were first set up across the county about 10 years ago to offer mums and their partners advice on breast-feeding. But in what is believed to be a first for the country, the John Radcliffe has launched the only baby café to be based in a hospital.

Set up with about £200 donated by the hospital’s League of Friends, maternity staff at the hospital have bought chairs and will volunteer their own time in order to make the scheme a success.

The service, which launched on Wednesday, will be run by community midwife Lisa Clayden, and supported by volunteers who have been trained in breastfeeding support.

Ms Clayden said the café was unique in the UK as it provided support for breastfeeding mums and their partners before they left hospital, as opposed to the existing baby cafés which supported mothers in community centres around the city.

She said: “Baby cafés offer mums and their partners a friendly and supportive atmosphere to learn and talk about breast-feeding.

“By setting up a café in the hospital we can give mums a good start before they leave and put them on the road to successful breast-feeding,” she added.

Drop-in sessions will be run every Wednesday morning at the hospital for in-patients only.

There are 11 other baby cafés across Oxfordshire based in the community, including the Headington Baby Café, held at the Roundabout Centre, in Waynflete Road, which will celebrate its fifth birthday in February.

A baby café bus also tours Oxfordshire to provide a service to a number of different children’s centres.

Beccie Brand, 37, from Lower Heyford, near Bicester, has been visiting the baby café bus since she had her son Sam six months ago.

She said the service was vital in helping her properly feed her son.

Mrs Brand said: “I had a caesarean section so I spent five days in hospital.

“I was lucky because I happened to be in hospital when there was a breast-feeding clinic on.

“The midwives are brilliant but their priority is getting the baby fed, rather than showing you techniques and ways to do it.

“I think having a baby café actually in the hospital is a fantastic idea.”