Introducing the new DVD ‘from bump to breastfeeding: following real mothers' stories to find out how’

Bump to Breastfeeding: Key facts for Healthcare Professionals.
Real mothers. Real stories…Supporting healthcare professionals on step 3 of UNICEF BFI and the new six-week duration target.

Download this information as a factsheet: DVD Key Facts for Healthcare Professionals.

Click here to watch the film online!

What is the background to the DVD?
‘From Bump to Breastfeeding: following real mothers' stories to find out how’ is a DVD made by the charity Best Beginnings in association with Heirloom Media.
The films are being made in collaboration with the Department of Health (DoH) and many key professional and charitable organisations including UNICEF. They are produced and directed by BAFTA Award-winning filmmaker Jacqui Smith and edited by BAFTA nominated editor Sasha Olswang.

The DVD is a valuable resource to help you in your pivotal role supporting mothers to breastfeed. It is designed to complement your work, to enrich face to face discussions.  The films aim to motivate and enable the next generation of mothers to make a supported choice to breastfeed by providing real-world stories, advice and techniques in a non-didactic and accessible way. The DVDs will be given free to all pregnant women in England, Scotland, Wales and N. Ireland.

The film is jointly funded by the Department of Health England, the Welsh Assembly, NHS Health Scotland, the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland and the Tedworth Charitable Trust. For endorsing organisations, see below.

Who is it aimed at?
It’s aimed at anyone who is expecting a baby, whether it’s their first or not and whatever their background. It aims to show that breastfeeding is natural and normal, and that even if you have a difficult birth experience, there is support out there, real stories on the DVD which will help, advice and help in the films that may make all the difference, and further advice on where else to go for help.

What are the topics covered?
In the main film, we meet nine different women and follow them on their journey...

•    preparing for birth
•    birth, skin-to-skin and early feeds
•    graphic of a baby attaching on the breast
•    the early days and weeks
•    feeding out and about
•    overcoming challenges
•    introducing other foods

There are also five extra films, covering:

•    the first few weeks
•    overcoming challenges
•    expressing and returning to work
•    breastfeeding your sick or pre-term baby
•    breastfeeding twins or more

Which languages can it be viewed in?
There are two versions of the DVD, the English and the dual English/Welsh (available in Wales). The English version has the additional languages Polish, Bengali, Urdu, Somali (as voiceover) and also British Sign Language and subtitles. The English/Welsh version has dual menu system in both English and Welsh, plus Welsh language, English, Polish , Bengali, Urdu, Somali and subtitled English.

Is it free?
The DVD is free of charge and dispatched free of P&P in the UK.

When will it be available?
It is available from 1 September 2008.

I am an NHS healthcare professional. How do I order my DVDs?
The DVD is a precious resource and needs to be treated as such. There are enough for every pregnant woman in the UK this year, so to avoid unnecessary overlap, please make contact with your head of midwifery to establish who in your hospital trust or health board is in charge of ordering.

England Orders:
Go to: www.orderline.dh.gov.uk and quote the following codes:
286873 / Breastfeeding DVD 
 or write to:


DH Publications Orderline
, PO Box 777
, London SE1 6XH

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it 

. Tel: 0300 123 1002 
Fax: 01623 724 524
Minicom: 0300 123 1003 (8am to 6pm, Monday to Friday)
This information is also on the Best Beginnings website at www.bestbeginnings.info/best-beginnings-for-health-professionals - (or click on the 'I'm a health worker' tab from the home page).

Scotland Orders:
Each Health Promotion Department in each of the 14 areas will have a supply and they should be contacted for materials. For any further enquiries, please contact  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

N. Ireland Orders:
Each maternity unit will automatically receive regular supplies of the DVD so you don't need to order it.  A poster has also been developed specifically for Northern Ireland to help promote the DVD in ante-natal clinics. Copies of the poster have already been provided to each maternity unit.

For supply enquiries about the DVD or poster, please contact Lesley Blackstock, Support Services Administrator at the Health Promotion Agency for Northern Ireland on This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Wales Orders:

How can I get a copy if I am an Independent midwife?
You can still order in your UK nation as detailed above.

Are there any supporting materials?
The DVD is being promoted by a series of four brilliant and challenging posters designed by students from Central Saint Martins College of Art & Design. Last October, Best Beginnings launched a poster competition for students as part of our touring 'Get Britain Breastfeeding' exhibition. The judging panel was unanimous in choosing Kayleigh Brooks and Sophie Barker as the winners of the competition. The A3 posters are available from Prolog (in England) and each A3 poster has its own product code. (Order through Prolog in England using the codes below. Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales have each produced their own promotional posters - contact the representative in each country for details). The England posters are:

Bond with your baby. Bond with your man
(Ref code: BYBPSTR)


Poster reads you can give your baby the best start in life and still feel confident your breasts will put a smile on your man's face. Ask your midwife for your free breastfeeding DVD or visit www.bestbeginnings.info.'

Designer Mum. Designer milk
(Ref code: DMPSTR)


Poster reads 'Breastmilk adapts to your baby's changing needs and there are breastfeeding bras you can still feel sexy in. Ask your midwife for your free breastfeeding DVD or visit www.bestbeginnings.info.

'

 Give a free drink. Get a free drink
(Ref code: GFDPSTR)


Poster reads Breastfeeding saves you money and it need not cost you your social life. Ask your midwife for your free breastfeeding DVD or visit www.bestbeginnings.info.'

 Healthy baby. Healthy you
(Ref code: HBPSTR)

Poster reads 'Breastfeeding gives your baby the best start in life as well as helping you to burn calories. Ask your midwife for your free breastfeeding DVD or visit www.bestbeginnings.info

There are also posters specifically for Wales, Scotland, N. Ireland distributed by each country respectively.

Will the DVD be available abroad?
Yes, we can do bespoke runs by request, and the existing versions will be for sale overseas. Please contact us to discuss your requirements. International enquiries are welcome and we may be able to supply other languages according to demand. Any international orders will be dealt with individually and will be chargeable.

Can I copy or sell the DVD?
No. The DVD is for private use and not for resale. Best Beginnings owns and retains all intellectual property in the DVD (including without limitation copyright, design, artwork, know-how and contributions) and none of the content may be copied, edited or otherwise distributed without the express prior written permission of Best Beginnings.
© Best Beginnings 2008.  All rights reserved


When is the best time to give it to women?
Your unit may decide to give all women the DVD via their hospital / community midwife at 28 weeks gestation with guidance on use prior to viewing. This would be recorded in the notes. When the woman returns to her next antenatal appointment the content of the DVD can then be discussed with the woman alongside the infant feeding checklist and recorded.

Dialogue between the midwife and the woman in the antenatal and post natal periods with reference to the content of the DVD will ensure that the woman feels confident to use this resource to support her to successfully breastfeed and cope with any challenges she may face, together with support from the health care professional and breastfeeding supporters. We encourage all healthcare professionals to watch the whole DVD - the main film and the extra films - so you are in a position to confidently communicate it to the women you are supporting.

When is the official media launch of the DVD?
The DVD will be officially launched simultaneously in all four countries on 3rd November to National & Consumer press and relevant organisations.

  Will the DVD be launched at regional events around the country?
We would very much welcome the regions to get behind the DVD and would welcome support via local launch events where possible.  Please contact Best Beginnings for more information, Tel: 020 7443  7895 or 07525 688 191.

Can I give the DVD out before the launch?
Yes, by all means. We need to start getting this valuable resource to the community and all pregnant and new mothers as soon as possible.


Endorsing Organisations:

•    The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
•    The Royal College of Midwives
•    The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
•    The Royal College of General Practitioners
•    The Royal College of Nursing
•    The Breastfeeding Network
•    Unicef
•    The Association of Breastfeeding Mothers
•    The nct
•    UK Association for Milk Banking
•    La Leche League GB
•    Bliss
•    Unite-CPHVA (Community Practitioners’ and Health Visitors’ Association)
•    The Multiple Births Foundation
•    Twins and Multiple Births Association
•    Midwives Information & Resource Service
•    Little Angels.

This site is a meeting place for all you amazing professionals at the front line of delivering health services to children and their parents in the UK. This will be the launchpad for news and resources - such as our major Breastfeeding DVD project, due to go out to every pregnant woman from September this year - and also for you to interact with others in your field. We hope that in this way, networks of support and best practice can be strengthened, valuable information shared and new professional bonds forged. We encourage you to register on this site, to start posting in the forum and help us develop this site as a leading resource on the web.

Join us now!

The first step is to register on this site. Simply click here to create your account.

Network.

Join in on the forum. Create new topics, add to the discussion and help us build a really useful working resource. For instance, you might like to contribute on the Baby Friendly forum. Click here for the forum.

Download.

We are building a library of resources online. You can already download some key documents here. Stay posted on how you can help us build this resource.

Support the work of the Breastfeeding Manifesto:

Sign up to support over 40 organisations including Best Beginnings whose aim is to ensure our Governments are actively supporting breastfeeding. Go to www.breastfeedingmanifesto.org.uk to read all about it and to add your name. Oh, and click below to buy a funky eco friendly organic top or tee for your little'un!