A KNITTING group is on a mission to help new mothers get the hang of breastfeeding.

The band of 15, who meet weekly at Cafe Knit in Lavenham, were approached by breastfeeding support worker Rachel Fleetwood, who asked them to create knitted ‘breasts’. These are used to help mothers who visit drop-in clinics in Sudbury, Stowmarket and Bury St Edmunds if they are experiencing difficulties with positioning their baby during breastfeeding.

Ms Fleetwood said: “Although they may look a bit comical, they are really useful when we need to show mums, using a doll, exactly how the baby should be attached, or the correct way to hold the baby while feeding.

“We are not allowed to demonstrate on people, and prosthetic breasts would be a bit clinical. These are cheap to produce and can be a bit of an ice-breaker in a situation where a new mum might be experiencing issues.”

The Breastfeeding Network is currently training 30 new volunteers to become qualified helpers across the three towns. This will bring the total number of volunteers in the area up to 60.

Victoria Beech, who owns Cafe Knit, said her group was happy to help, adding: “Everyone laughed a little when they saw the knitting pattern but we realised it was important for several reasons.

“Many of us have been through breastfeeding with our own children and we also thought it would be good to support our local volunteers. A bonus is that it has also given us a chance to show that knitting can be fun and it’s not just for grannies.”