Australian supermodel and mom-of-two Elle Macpherson says London hospitals need to do more to help women breastfeed successfully. Dressed in an olive green jacket, skin-tight white trousers and large sunglasses, she visited the Jagonari womens center where she talked to mothers and support workers.
The 39-year-old Australian was surprised that there’s no hospital in London with a “baby-friendly” award, which is given to hospitals for the best practice in the care of breastfeeding mothers and babies according to Unicef/WHO criteria. The “baby friendly” ambassador Macpherson said during her visit to the women’s center in Whitechapel, east London: "I find it incredible that in the whole of this capital, which counts some of the best teaching hospitals in the world, there isn't a single baby friendly hospital.
"I find it shocking that London women have no choice over where to go to receive good care."
She also added that she breast-fed both her sons for six months and knows how important breastfeeding is.
"The challenge is to build on individual energies and positive efforts going on around the capital and build a baby friendly London," she was quoted by Daily Mail as saying.
"I challenge the 31 hospitals and five strategic health authorities to work to become baby friendly.
"I urge mothers, fathers and parents-to-be to write to the chief executives of hospitals and call on them to embark on a baby friendly road."