EAST Lancashire has become the first area in the world to receive a prestigious award for being 'baby friendly'.

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust (ELHT) has won the 'Baby Friendly Initiative Gold Standard' from the United Nations Children's Fund UK (Unicef).

The accolade is in recognition of the advice and support families with new babies in the area receive around nurturing and feeding their babies.

Over the past 20 years families have benefitted from baby friendly standards that have been pioneered across the trust.

Infant feeding staff have been following Unicef baby friendly best practice - and during that time there has been a 'breastfeeding revolution' among mums.

It saw Queens Park Hospital first become a baby friendly site in November 1998, followed by Burnley General Teaching Hospital.

The 'breastfeeding revolution' has seen the number of mums breastfeeding eight weeks after birth rise from only 27 per cent of mums to 76 per cent in Blackburn with Darwen today.

Rineke Schram, ELHT's baby friendly guardian and consultant obstetrician, said: “The ‘Achieving Sustainability’ standard is hugely important for the trust and, most importantly, for the women, children and families we serve.

“Children need a healthy start in life if they are to become healthy adults.

"Good child health means providing the right conditions for their growth and development and East Lancashire hospitals and our partners have worked closely with Unicef for many years to achieve this high standard.

“In particular, I want to acknowledge the immense efforts of our infant feeding coordinator Sue Henry, her team and all maternity staff in reaching a standard never before achieved."

Sue Ashmore, Unicef UK baby friendly director, said: "On behalf of Unicef UK, I want to congratulate everyone at East Lancashire hospitals on this excellent achievement and for accreditation as our first gold service."

The golden Unicef baby friendly logo will now be seen across Blackburn with Darwen and East Lancashire.