A NEW mums’ breastfeeding support service will be scrapped as Essex County Council tries to slash £3.7million from its health budget.

County Hall currently funds a support service which helps new mums during the first year of their baby's life.

The Tory authority will save £396,000 a year by cutting the breastfeeding programme in Brentwood and Basildon, and in the North East of the county, from July 2016. Anna Davis, 30, said the support she received following the birth of her daughter in 2011 and son in 2013 was invaluable.

She added: “I think that initial help is really important. None of my family had ever breast fed so I had no-one to turn to.

“As a new mum, you don’t know what is normal. You’re tired because of a lack of sleep, and just need someone to reassure you.

“It will be really sad if other new mums don’t have access to the support. I think the number of people breastfeeding will go down because it’s really hard work and you need something to help you keep going.”

An Essex County Council report states it is “very likely”

redundancies will be made, but director of public health Mike Gogarty insists no decisions have yet been made.

He said: “The service is currently provided by Provide CIC and seeks to support new mothers to sustain breastfeeding initially during the post-natal period and during the first year of their baby’s life.

“This is an outcomes led service with the aim of increasing the prevalence of breastfeeding in Basildon and Brentwood.

“Trained volunteers, who are supervised by a paid co-ordinator, provide support and encouragement to new parents on both an individual basis and in group situations.

“Support groups are run in settings such as community health clinics and children’s centres as well as providing home visits where this is appropriate.

“The service will be cease with effect from Friday, July 1, 2016, and to date commissioners have not been advised there will be any redundancies as a result of the cessation of the service.”

As part of plans to cut £3.7million from the whole public health budget, a community wellbeing service in mid Essex will be scrapped, and new contracts will be sought for the county’s sexual health and school health check programmes.

The council’s smoking and health trainers programme are expected to be cut and replaced with a joint healthy lifestyle service.