Julie joins Theo Walcott at launch of Breastfeeding Manifesto

Julie Morgan MP this week joined the Arsenal and England footballer Theo Walcott at the launch of the Breastfeeding Manifesto in London. The event, which took place during National Breastfeeding Awareness week, highlighted the aims of the Breastfeeding Manifesto. Over 30 not-for-profit organisations, including Unicef and five Royal Colleges, have signed up to the manifesto to tackle the low levels of breastfeeding in the UK. Theo Walcott himself grew up knowing how important breastfeeding was as his mum was a La Leche League breastfeeding leader. He has lent his support to the Breastfeeding Manifesto to help every child get off to a healthy start. Julie Morgan MP said: “I was delighted to attend the launch and so pleased to see a young man like Theo Walcott supporting this cause. It is so important that we try to increase the levels of breastfeeding in the UK, and Wales in particular, as it can make a major difference to the health of both mothers and babies. We need to increase awareness about the benefits of breastfeeding and support women who want to breastfeed, especially during the first six months of a baby’s life. We need to make it comfortable for mothers to breastfeed in public and we need to make young people aware of the benefits from a young age so that it becomes a completely accepted part of everyday life. I fully support the new Breastfeeding Peer Support Group that has started up in Llanishen in my constituency – I hope that it will encourage women to start breastfeeding and help them to continue doing so for as long as they wish.”