Support for Breast Feeding Mums on Special Care Baby Unit

On Wednesday 27^th June the Royal Surrey County Hospital officially opened a new expressing room in the Special Care Baby Unit at the Trust.  The new facility offers mums a space to express their breast milk in private away from the bays on the unit. 

Dr Charles Godden, Neonatal Lead and Paediatric Consultant at the Royal Surrey, said: 

“Babies born early are often too premature to breast feed straight from their mother so mums have to express their milk instead.  Previously mothers just expressed wherever they could find a space on the unit or at home.” 

Parents requested a dedicated expressing room and staff have been aware that privacy could be improved by the provision of a separate confidential, quiet area which would help mothers express and establish breastfeeding. 

Dr Godden continued: 

“Parents said they needed somewhere private for mothers to express their milk and we’ve listened to their feedback and created this new facility. The room will also be used as a quiet room for parents and a place where confidential conversations between staff and parents can occur.” 

The room has been named the Jubilee Room and has been furnished with chairs, breast pumps and iPod docking stations by Bliss, the charity for sick and premature babies, and the Royal Surrey Parents Club.