THEY say breast is best. The natural nutrients that breast fed babies gain during their first few weeks are said to be the best start they can get in life, and breastfeeding brings many health benefits for mother too.

There are many initiatives to encourage and support breastfeeding mums in Bradford, but the loss of one particular service is bound to impact on those who have benefitted in the eight years since it was established.

HOTS (Health On The Streets Team), based at Eccleshill clinic, offered a one-to-one service but from the end of August it is being de-commissioned due to Government funding cuts, despite a delegation of campaigners urging Bradford Council to re-think its plans.

When the service finally comes to an end, breastfeeding mums will be directed to their health visitor, GP or children's centre staff for help.

But Bradford mum-of-five, Ruth Weston, who runs waterbirth specialists Aquabirths, fears the loss of the service could impact on the city's most vulnerable mums and babies and believes it will also cost the NHS in the long run.

"If we don't invest in health we end up treating ill health," says Ruth. "If a baby is breastfed from when the baby is eight weeks old it starts to pay for itself in terms of the NHS."

One service that is bringing great benefit to new mums during pregnancy and birth, and also helps to support mums with issues such as breast feeding is the Bradford Doulas.

Project co-ordinator, Aliya Fazil, explains the service originally set up in Hull. It arrived in Bradford in 2011 after the Department of Health rolled it out across the country.

Funded by the City CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) and the Big Lottery Fund Awards for All - which provides grants for small, community-based projects throughout the UK - Bradford Doulas trains community volunteers to work with vulnerable, pregnant mums with the aim of improving the well-being of mum and baby.

They also support mums from two months before delivery to around six weeks enabling them to build up a rapport with the mum and provide support during this important time in her life.

There are currently 35 Doulas in Bradford. The volunteers receive ongoing training on drug/alcohol awareness, genetics, relationships and consanguineous marriage to ensure their support techniques are kept up to date. and, such is the interest, knowledge and expertise they glean from the role, that many have gone on to pursue midwifery as a professional career.

Since its inception, the project has provided support to around 40 mums. "We are very much an 'added value' project. We don't do anything medical or clinical but we bridge the gap if they need information and knowledge about what is to come when having a baby, particularly in terms of breast feeding," says Aliya, who has an 18-month-old son.

She says breastfeeding support is particularly helpful for those women who may be in isolation. "If they are in isolation they will probably give up breast feeding because it is hard work and it needs a lot of support," she says.

Aliya explains as well as visiting mums one-to-one, Doulas are also a point of contact on the end of a phone so they can get in touch for advice as soon as an issue arises rather than receiving a delayed response when they may have already made the decision to stop breast feeding,

Emphasising the benefits of breastfeeding, Aliya explains: "There are a lot of health statistics and benefits for breast feeding, not just for mum's health but for baby's health and it helps for years to come. It has a knock on effect when trying to wean a baby, and when babies are ill they recover better."

Aliya says Doulas can explain all these benefits when talking to mums. "But also it is bringing them back to nature. We have that opportunity, we have bottles and formula but it is bringing it back and saying we already have milk there."

She says they also discuss labour and encourage a more active birth. "It is helping mums to make that choice," says Aliya.

"I didn't have a clue about breastfeeding. It gives them the basic knowledge and helping them to develop that."