Health Service staff said breastfeeding was vital for the health of mothers and babies as it provided key benefits for their well-being and helped defend against infection.

The theme of this year's annual awareness week was 'Empower Parents, Enable Breastfeeding.'

Deirdre Leslie, Nurse Unit Manager Child and Family Health Service said there was a range of support services to encourage and support mothers with breastfeeding at the health service and in the community.

That includes a breastfeeding support service available from 1pm-3pm each Thursday at the Community Health Centre in Kite Street.

She said workplaces needed to be encouraged to provide facilities for mothers returning to work to breastfeed.

"There needs to be places for them to do so and time allowed," she said.

Ms Leslie said this happened in government workplaces but she was unaware of how widespread it was in private industry where mothers could face obstacles in wanting to continue to breastfeed.

"The longer they breastfeed the better are the outcomes," she said.