Best Start for you and your baby - weekly drop-in sessions
Free weekly term-time sessions for new parents in North Tyneside.
Are you a new parent? We would love to see you at one of our weekly drop-in sessions, where you can discuss parenting challenges in a supportive and friendly environment with our trained volunteers.
Find us at:
- North Shields Library (first floor) – Monday 10am to 12pm
- Wallsend Library (Ark Room) – Tuesday 10am to 12pm
- Whitley Bay Big Local – Wednesday 12.30pm to 2.30pm
- West Moor Community Centre – Fridays 12.30pm to 2.30pm
Please follow our Facebook page Best Start North Tyneside for updates and holiday sessions.
For more information, please contact beststart@voda.org.uk
While the main focus will be on breastfeeding, our trained volunteers also offer support on safe sleep, coping with crying, mental health, infant feeding, signposting and understanding your baby’s needs. Refreshments provided.
What is Best Start?
When deciding whether to breastfeed or are considering stopping, mothers tend to talk over concerns with close friends or family. Unfortunately, due to a culture in the UK where few women breastfeed, social networks often lack positive breastfeeding experience.
The North Tyneside Best Start project, led by VODA and supported by the 0 – 19 Children’s’ Public Health Service and Public Health, aims to fill this gap by linking mothers who have parenting experience (peer supporters) to new mothers who may need support.
Volunteer peer supporters for the Best Start Project will work closely with the 0 – 19 team and the infant feeding co-ordinator. They will volunteer in community venues supporting families with basic information sharing and support around:
- Infant feeding
- Safe sleep
- Coping with crying
- Understanding your baby’s behaviour
- Emotional health
- Transition to parenthood
- Signposting to further support
The peer support will help to reduce parental isolation and give new parents an opportunity to meet other parents in their own community.
