Airedale Hospital has won recognition for the care given to new mums.

The maternity unit has received the Baby Friendly Stage 1 Assessment, a national standard.

The award, from UNICEF and the World Health Organisation, is given to hospitals which demonstrate they have policies and procedures in place to deliver and maintain high standards of care.

All Airedale Hospital maternity staff are trained in how to support mums and each mum-to-be is given a one-to-one session about the benefits of breastfeeding.

Once the baby arrives, staff ensure the child has skin-to-skin contact with the mother within half an hour of delivery and they are on hand around-the-clock to show the mum how to feed and to help with any difficulties.

Around 70 per cent of new mums start breastfeeding in the hospital and the figure is increasing.

Also, Airedale has seven new "clip on" bedside cots which mean mums can keep their babies as close as possible in safety.

Mothers who, for example, have had a caesarean section and find it difficult to get out of bed can reach their babies to feed them without having to call for help.

Lis Osborne, infant-feeding advisor at Airedale Hospital, said: "These new cots are great and the babies can sense their mums are close.

"We want to give new mums the best possible start to feeding their babies and these cots can really help.

"Research has proved that mums feed their babies more often if they are close, as it helps mothers recognise the little signs their babies give to say they are hungry."