Ipswich Hospital has offered quiet and private feeding rooms to help support mums with breastfeeding.

While the hospital is breastfeeding-friendly, which means mums can feed their newborn in all public areas of the hospital, some new mums have asked for private spaces.

Linda Page, breastfeeding co-ordinator at the hospital, said: “We are committed to promoting, protecting and supporting breastfeeding.

“There are now designated rooms across the hospital and our receptionists know where they are so if mums would like privacy, they just need to ask.”

Over the winter, the hospital was given UNICEF’s baby friendly award in recognition of the support staff give to mums and their newborns.

Research by the World Health Organisation has revealed that breast-fed babies are generally healthier, and helps reduce the chances of ear infections, vomiting and diarrhoea.