A campaign to encourage more women to breastfeed has been offered support by UNICEF.

Dorset HealthCare recently produced posters featuring local women with slogans offering a positive message.

A spokesman for the service said the impact of the posters has been 'staggering' with more than 24,300 shares within the first two days of their release on Facebook, and 3,000 downloads from the Dorset HealthCare website. They have been viewed from as far away as America.

Now, UNICEF plans to showcase the posters at their annual Baby Friendly Initiative (BFI) conference in Liverpool in November, where they will be presented to more than 700 delegates from across the globe.

They have also shared them in the latest edition of their renowned newsletter.

UNICEF is a United Nations program that provides humanitarian and developmental assistance to children and mothers in developing countries.

Trust Breastfeeding Advisory Lead Liz Stacey said: “I have been overwhelmed by the positive feedback the posters have received. The strap lines offer a realistic insight into breastfeeding by mothers for mothers.

“They can act as a catalyst for discussing any concerns a new mum may have regarding her breastfeeding journey with a health professional. Mothers should feel proud of their achievements as it is not always easy.”

This high-profile recognition is well timed, as this week is National Breastfeeding Awareness Week – promoting the role that all healthcare professionals, commissioners and managers have in supporting mothers to take up and continue breastfeeding for at least the first six months of their baby’s life.

And it continues the hugely positive reaction the posters have received, both home and abroad.

Liz and her team travelled to the Houses of Parliament earlier in the year to present them to MPs on the All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Infant Feeding and Inequalities, which works to improve policies and break down stigma around the issue.

The posters have also been featured in recent study days held by the Institute of Health Visiting, the Royal Society for Public Health Breastfeeding, the Breastfeeding Network and the Royal Society of Medicine.

They formed an integral part of the Scottish Breastfeeding Celebrations Week earlier this month, and were included in a presentation by a professor at a public health conference in Australia.

Dr Cheryl Adams CBE, Executive Director at the Institute of Health Visiting, said: “This is a shining example of fantastic innovation.

“The posters are so impactful and make breastfeeding look like a club you want to join. The messaging and images they possess are so warm and appealing, so it’s not surprising they are having such a positive effect.”

The posters are on display in clinics, GP surgeries, children’s centres and maternity units across Dorset, and are available to download for free at www.dorsethealthcare.nhs.uk/breastfeeding-posters