Breastfeeding mums are flocking to a successful drop-in centre to get support and to make friends.

The weekly Headington Baby Café, which last month celebrated its second anniversary, has seen a 70 per cent increase in the number of women attending.

In 2006, 451 mothers joined the Wednesday lunchtime group in Wayneflete Road, Barton.

And by 2007, the number grew to 763 - about 15 women a week.

Julie Osborne, who runs the baby café, said: "For a lot of people who come, it's their first trip out with their baby and they know it's going to be breast feeding friendly.

"Even if it's a disaster they know it won't matter because they know there'll be people there who'll understand."

Encouraging new mothers to breastfeed is a priority for health workers in Oxfordshire because nursing babies has a number of benefits for both the child and woman.

Research shows it is vital in the fight against a number of key diseases in later life, including diabetes and heart disease.

Women who breast feed are less likely to develop breast cancer and find it easier to regain their figure after childbirth.

As a result, Oxfordshire Primary Care Trust has announced plans to help women nurse their newborns, including training midwives and recruiting more peer support volunteers.

PCT health visitor, Leslie Addison, said: "Additional support and expertise is also available from midwives, health visitors and a breastfeeding counsellor at the sessions."

Jenny Moore had been a mum for six weeks when she first visited the cafe.

The former school secretary, 23, whose daughter Alicia is now six months old, was so taken with the drop-in centre she became a fully trained volunteer to help other mums on board the mobile Baby Café.

Miss Moore, of Headley Way, Marston, said: "I really enjoyed the baby cafe. It made me feel a little bit normal. They were happy to hold the baby if I wanted a hot cup of tea and were there to answer any questions I had.

"I was very shy about breastfeeding at the start, but because everyone else was doing it, it made it a lot simpler to just do it."