In Yass, Capital Chemist has just received its Australian Breastfeeding Association Accreditation. The arrival of their accreditation is perfectly timed for World Breastfeeding Week – coordinated by the World Alliance for Breastfeeding Action; World Breastfeeding Week 2022 falls between August 1-7. The chemist is displaying a ‘Breastfeeding Welcome Here’ sign on its door to welcome in mothers who need to feed their babies or children. Inside the chemist are quiet, private consult rooms for mothers to use. Not only is Capital Chemist providing a highly valuable space for breastfeeding mothers, they also offer services to mothers who are bottle feeding. The chemist has a kitchen where bottles can be hygienically warmed for babies and spaces to sit down and feed them.
Capital Chemist managing director Charlotte Ransom is a brand new mother herself and understands the unique joys and challenges of breastfeeding a baby in public. This is why she took action as a business to show a higher level of support to mothers.
“When you’re still trying to get confidence in how you feed, it makes you more comfortable to know there’s somewhere you can go,” said Charlotte.
By registering Capital Chemist on Comur Street, Charlotte hopes mums will know they are welcome to come in and have a seat, close the door, and just take their time.
“I’m all for sitting around the shop and breastfeeding, but knowing that you can close the door and know that it’s just me, no one’s looking, no one’s watching. When you go out in public it doesn’t matter if people say ‘it’s okay, you can feed anywhere’ the fact that you’re not fully confident makes that hard. When you’re out with your baby it’s reassuring to have a space like this.”
Charlotte encourages other Yass businesses to follow Capital Chemist’s example in becoming an Australian Breastfeeding Association accredited business.
“Becoming an ABS accredited business took me two seconds; I found the website, I logged our business. It was so simple, it was so quick. I think if anyone has facilities like this, it just takes two seconds. It just says ‘yes, come in,’” she said.
This year, the World Breastfeeding Alliance has outlined several main objectives. The Breastfeeding Alliance aims to inform people about their role in strengthening the ‘warm chain of support’ for breastfeeding. This includes educating, empowering, and strengthening governments, health systems, workplaces and communities in their capacity to provide and sustain breastfeeding-friendly environments for families.
The Alliance also aims to anchor breastfeeding as part of good nutrition, food security and reduction of inequalities, engage with individuals and organisations along the chain of support for breastfeeding, and galvanise action on strengthening the systems of transformational change.
As a healthcare business, workplace, and part of the Yass Community, Capital Chemist has definitely played a part in many of the Breastfeeding Alliance objectives in their encouragement and highly practical support of breastfeeding.
If you would like to follow in Capital Chemist’s footsteps and receive a Breastfeeding Friendly Workplace Accreditation for your business, visit the Australian Breastfeeding Association website to learn more.
