MAMMA (Mothers Advocating Mother's Milk Association), a local breastfeeding support group that covers Portishead, Pill and the surrounding North Somerset villages, was set up by local community midwives in 2005, with the help of five local mums.
With 11 new mums joining the team in 2006, the group hopes to extend its role through Cafe MAMMA, a drop-in centre for local mothers, run by trained mums who know all about the joys and pitfalls of breastfeeding. Community midwife Marianne Frosdick explained: "Linda Hicken and myself set up the initial training course and now provide the professional input. Our aim is to promote the group from both a health point of view and also to support the local community. "There are a lot of newcomers in Portishead, often without a network of family and friends around them, and the numbers will continue to increase over the next five-ten years." Help and support A dynamic group, with its own constitution, the main aims of MAMMA are to; promote the practice of breastfeeding, provide support and advice to local breastfeeding mothers; develop and expand a local ‘mother-to-mother’ social network and foster a stronger general awareness of the benefits of breastfeeding among the community. A telephone support service has already been set up, and a year later is working well, but the Portishead mothers felt that a more relaxed, friendly environment was needed for local mums to get together. But funding has been a problem - the Portishead area, hardly categorised as a deprived area, currently suffers from the lack of provisions such as a Children's Centre, which is usually granted through governmental funding. It also suffers from extensive new development which is particularly popular with young families, many moving in to the area without families or friends - and in 2006, 287 local births were recorded. The group has spent a lot of time and energy applying for Lottery Funding, but is also hoping to secure money from other sources. Cafe launch Meanwhile, plans for the launch of Café MAMMA continues, with the big day penciled in during Breast Feeding Awareness Week in May. The Café, which organisers hope will be held in the local Methodist Church hall once a week, is designed to provide a relaxed environment for mums with small babies, mothers-to-be and their families, to get together free of charge and meet fellow mums, with an emphasis on the support and promotion of breastfeeding. Refreshments, toys and a library providing information on breastfeeding and childcare will also be available. You can contact the MAMMA support group on 07816 366370 between 10am-3pm and 7-9pm Monday to Friday. Three members of the MAMMA group spoke to us about their own experiences of breastfeeding, being a new mum and their hopes for the group.
Portishead resident Karin, mother of two small boys, has been one of the main movers and shakers in the group and its Lottery application.
Momo is Japanese, and has "experienced problems with my mother-in-law since the arrival of our first child, which nearly ripped us apart, and which still pose a huge threat to us. The conflict reflects the common problems associated with the modern practice of breastfeeding."
Meanwhile, 32-year-old Mel, has breastfed all her five children, each for varied amounts of time, and is hoping to do the same with her sixth. | 
