25th November 2021
If you have followed Lansinoh over the past 5 years you are no doubt anticipating who our award winners are for our Feed with Confidence campaign for 2021. It is one of the highlights of our year where we celebrate individuals, small businesses and organisations who promote breastfeeding in public and provide the much-needed support to mums and babies throughout their breastfeeding journey. We love opening up the nominations to the public and then seeing all the votes come in for all your favourite places to visit, from cafes to shopping centres, as well as the health care professionals who have personally helped so many of you on your breastfeeding journeys.
This year, however, we have made the decision to postpone the awards given the current situation with COVID-19 and rising cases within the UK. As our company ethos is centred around helping women thrive as they become new mothers, we want to continue this support by encouraging women and families to exercise caution during the upcoming festive period. Even though the season is upon us to begin Christmas shopping for the loved ones in our lives, for many new mums this will be their first experience shopping with their newborn and potentially the first time visiting a busy town, city centre or a shopping centre. Whilst we still want mums to feel confident when feeding their baby in public, this year we want to ensure everyone is safe and well, regardless of if you want to venture out of the house or would prefer to shop online from the comfort of your own home.
For previous Feed with Confidence campaign information, click here.
Going out and about with your new baby
If you did want to venture out with your newborn you may be worrying about the health of your baby when exposed to a new environment, however our research shows that breastfeeding boosts immunity for baby, due to breast milk containing antibodies that supports their immune system. As well as it being a super convenient way to feed your baby, our research shows that breastfeeding improves baby’s chances of remaining healthy and infection free.
We have compiled a list of tips to help you feel safe while navigating busy shopping centres and city centres this festive period:
Timing is everything
Choose a time that suits both you and your newborn’s sleep schedule. We’d recommend coordinating your shopping trip with nap time so your little one gets their rest, and you can shop distraction-free.
Shopping centres are generally busier during the festive period but there are certain days and times that are quieter and therefore less overwhelming. If you’re able to go during the week, then late morning or middle of the afternoon during weekdays tend to be slower times in retail and will allow you to move around with your baby without too many other people around. If weekdays are unsuitable, then we’d recommend going as early as the shops open on the weekends!
Bring a buddy
Shopping is made infinitely better when accompanied by a friend – bring another new mum or companion along for your trip! This will not only make the experience more enjoyable but will help you feel more at ease while venturing back out to the busy world with your little one.
Bring supplies and exercise caution
This will be a no-brainer for every new mum as they know when leaving the house, it’s not just about grabbing your purse and keys anymore! Pack supplies for your little one such as a change of clothes in case of an accident, feeding bottles, plenty of nappies, wipes, muslins, a blanket and other warm accessories as it is likely to be chilly.
For yourself, bring water and a snack in case you’ll be out for a while. For breastfeeding while out and about, wear an easily accessible top that will allow you to feed comfortably. Invest in breast pads to protect yourself against leaks. Keep socially distanced from others when shopping with your little one, wear a mask and hand sanitise when needed. Click here to learn more about travelling with your little one.
We want new mums to feel confident when going Christmas shopping this year. We’re very aware that over the past two unprecedented years there will be many new mums who have not had the benefit of experiencing shopping with their newborn and will be wary of being around large groups of people. We hope that this advice helps new mums to feel confident during this festive season.
