Waverley Care launches Mums & Tots groups

Waverley Care’s African Health Project in Glasgow has launched a Mother and Tots Group, which met for the first time on 3rd October. Mums were exchanging babies and sharing a laugh. Babies had a good time exploring the toys and, of course, there were a few battles over who would play with the best toy!  Nursery rhymes like Humpty Dumpty and Twinkle-Twinkle Little Star sounded around the room.

Earlier this year the British HIV Association and Children’s HIV Association released a position statement on Infant Feeding in the UK. In response to this, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHS GGC) and Waverley Care launched an Infant Feeding Formula Project, providing free formula milk to all positive mothers who meet the required criteria. NHS GGC funds the project and Waverley Care is responsible for the administration, ordering and supply of the formula and equipment such as sterilisers and bottles.

Women who fit the required criteria for receiving free milk will be referred by the Clinical Nurse Specialist at the Brownlee Clinic to Waverley Care; information about who is eligible for free infant feeding formula can be obtained from Waverley Care or from the Brownlee. All women who fit the criteria for receiving free milk are offered a 12 month supply of free milk formula per child and have an option to attend the Mums and Tots Group if they so wish. Women who have a child below the age of 12 months but do not qualify for free milk are welcome to join the Mums and Tots Group until the child is three years old.

Many women living with HIV, who have children, experience social isolation along with the stigma of not being able to breast feed. The Mum and Tots Group will offer mothers opportunities for support, advice and social contact with other women and children in the group. Women with children are eligible to stay on and receive support until their child is three years old. The Mums and Tots Group meets once a month. Further support beyond the Mums and Tots Group is also available through other support projects in Waverley Care.
 

A similar Infant Feeding Formula Project and Mums and Tots Group will be starting up in Waverley Care Edinburgh in November.
For more information contact: Mildred Zimunya, Waverley Care African Health Project Glasgow -07956620461/ 0141 333 9393 or Kapulu Simonde and Nichola Frith, Waverley Care Edinburgh 0131 558 1425