THE maternity department at Oxford’s biggest hospital has taken a step closer towards earning the gold standard and being named a ‘Baby Friendly’ hospital.

As part of the UNICEF Baby Friendly scheme the maternity department and newborn care services team at the John Radcliffe Hospital have been awarded stage 1.

The accolade recognises the hospitals commitment to supporting families with breast feeding their newborn children.

It is part of a national project to boost rates of breastfeeding in children across the country.

Infant feeding specialist at the hospital Hannah Torrance said: “Achieving Baby Friendly Stage 1 is a wonderful testament to the sustained commitment of our maternity staff over the last three years to challenge and change the culture surrounding feeding.

“Ensuring as many mothers and babies achieve normal physiological breastfeeding and therefore realising their full potential in terms of short and long term health and wellbeing continues in our commitment towards Stage 2.”

Senior staff nurse at the newborn care unit’s infant feeding team Niamh Buttress added: “We joined forces with the Baby Friendly Initiative to increase breastfeeding rates and to improve care for all mothers.

“Breastfeeding protects babies against a wide range of serious illnesses including gastroenteritis and respiratory infections in infancy as well as cardiovascular disease, asthma, obesity and diabetes later in life. We also know that breastfeeding reduces the mother’s risk of postnatal depression, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, osteoporosis and some cancers – although mums might be more interested in hearing that it’s easier, cheaper and less hassle than bottle feeding.