Transforming Liverpool John Moores into a Breastfeeding-Friendly University
Liverpool John Moores University has initiated a comprehensive program to support breastfeeding mothers among its staff and students. With a focus on staff engagement and improving the overall experience, LJMU has established designated breastfeeding rooms across its campuses, providing essential facilities and creating a welcoming environment. By working towards achieving recognition as a breastfeeding-friendly institution, LJMU is dedicated to supporting mothers in their breastfeeding journey.
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Making Liverpool John Moores a Breastfeeding friendly University PENNA Award Category Staff Engagement/ Improving Staff Experience
Our University Liverpool John Moores University is a Higher Education Institute founded in 1823 It employs over 2500 members of staff from over 100 countries and serves more than 25,000 students studying on undergraduate and postgraduate courses. The University is based in Liverpool comprising of 3 campuses and 38 buildings.
THE BACKGROUND TO OUR INITIATIVE The health benefits of breastfeeding to mothers and babies are unequivocal, However, in the UK <1% of mothers are breastfeeding by 6 months, constituting the worst breastfeeding rates in the world One of the main reported barriers to continuing breastfeeding up to 6 months and beyond in the UK is due to the workplace not accomoodating breastfeedign mothers LJMU was one of those workplaces, with breastfeeding and expressing being accommodated on an ad hoc basis
We wanted to ensure all mothers (staff and students) returning to LJMU after the birth of their baby could do so knowing that there would be the provision and facilities to breastfeed their baby and/or express breastmilk. Our aim We wanted to create a welcoming environment for all breastfeeding mothers across our University campuses
The road to making LJMU Breastfeeding friendly We worked towards attaining the Liverpool bambis Mayoral award for the University This would ensure our University was breastfeeding friendly And that all breastfeeding mothers would be welcome
We worked tirelessly with many departments within the University to encourage them to share our vision We now have 8 designated breastfeeding/expressing rooms across the University Our ethos was to make it as easy as possible for breastfeeding mothers to return to work Continuing our journey We included pregnant and breastfeeding staff members in creating a wish list to enhance their experience This meant kitting out our rooms with everything they needed: fridges, labels, breastmilk storage bags Its also included us designing rooms that would be both practically and visually appealing to those using them
Impact Staff feedback I ve just used Tithebarn room 3.08 to express, as recommended by HR. I wanted to pass on my thanks to the midwifery staff involved in kitting out the room it s lovely. I hope it can be advertised and that it is well-used to support staff and students, I ll definitely be back! (staff member) I was a bit apprehensive about expressing when I returned after mat leave, but the new expressing room is brilliant, I could spend all day there (staff member)
Form a leadership team of like-minded colleagues who are committed and determined to make the project a success Involve key people from all relevant areas Ensure staff are invested by disseminating the benefits to all of going breastfeeding friendly Steps to success Set and meet deadlines to ensure the project s momentum is sustained Be persistent, this project although supported by many was not everyone s priority
We are developing a breastfeeding support service for LJMU staff who are breastfeeding Our midwifery students are taking over the running and upkeep of the breastfeeding rooms across the university We have linked this project to our UNICEF BFI Gold award which requires annual accreditation sustainability University polices for maternity leave and breastfeeding whilst at work are underpinned by our breastfeeding friendly status Being shortlisted for this award ensures the momentum continues and the visibility of our project is maintained
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