New technology supports new mums in the West Midlands to breastfeed

News from our partners Public Health England (PHE)

• Fewer than half of babies in England are breastfed at 6-8 weeks
• 24/7 Breastfeeding Friend from Start4Life is now available on a number of platforms, including Amazon Alexa and Facebook Messenger to support mums in the West Midlands

Almost three-quarters of women start breastfeeding when their child is born, however by 6-8 weeks this drops to just 44%. This makes breastfeeding rates in England among the lowest in the world.

A new survey of 1,000 mothers of young children commissioned by Public Health England revealed that in hindsight, mothers wished they had been better prepared for breastfeeding. Before the birth of their first child, the biggest priorities for mums in the West Midlands were buying baby equipment (67%), preparing for labour (47%) and buying baby clothes (45%). However post birth, 23% wished they had read about and were more prepared for breastfeeding and 20% of those who had given breastmilk to their first child wished they had known that asking for help can make a real difference.

PHE’s programme Start4Life has created the 24/7 Breastfeeding Friend to encourage parents to adopt healthy behaviours. It is available for free on a range of platforms, including Facebook Messenger, and now for the first time it will also be available as a skill for Amazon Alexa’s voice service.

Mothers can ask Alexa a variety of questions about breastfeeding and the answers will be provided tailored to the age of the baby. This means that they can get helpful advice even when their hands are full.

The survey also highlighted that 35% of mothers also felt embarrassed about asking for help with breastfeeding from healthcare professionals. Many mothers can find breastfeeding challenging and often this may cause them to give up.

Evidence shows the right support helps mothers to breastfeed for longer.^³ The survey highlighted that almost two thirds (64%) of mums in England felt that access to 24/7 breastfeeding support, such as a phoneline, website or chat bot, would make new mothers more likely to have a positive experience of breastfeeding, as well as more likely to decide to try breastfeeding (59%) and breastfeed for longer (58%).

Public Health England recommends exclusive breastfeeding for around the first six months. Breastfeeding boosts a baby’s ability to fight illness and infection, and babies who are not breastfed are more likely to get diarrhoea and chest infections. Breastfeeding also lowers a mother’s risk of breast cancer and may reduce the risk of ovarian cancer.

Viv Bennett, Chief Nurse at Public Health England said:

“Breast feeding, whilst natural, is something that mothers and babies learn together, and whilst learning, women may have questions and setbacks. PHE is working with health professionals to make sure women are not embarrassed and receive timely help. Health professionals do an excellent job of caring for new mothers, but they cannot be available 24/7, which is where our Breastfeeding Friend from Start4Life is designed to help. This tool, together with the range of support materials from Start4Life, can provide breastfeeding advice at any time of night or day and support mothers and their partners and families through challenges they may face.”

These digital offerings will help guide new parents in the West Midlands region through their first weeks of breastfeeding and beyond, providing help at any time of the day or night, and aim to complement support and advice from health care professionals and breastfeeding specialists. The information provided by all the Start4Life services is NHS-approved and both services are independent of Amazon and Facebook. 

David Elliott, programme lead for PHE West Midlands Health and Well-being team, said:

“The Start4Life ‘Breastfeeding Friend’ is a great tool for mums in the West Midlands who are looking for help and advice about breastfeeding. Combined with support from midwives, health visitors and peer supporters, the suite of digital support services from Start4Life can make all the difference to help mums get breastfeeding off to a good start and to carry on. Information and support just when you need it is vital; professional help along with a network of people who can share tips and advice or attending local breastfeeding groups can be beneficial for those who might require a little more help. There is also the National Breastfeeding Helpline 0300 100 0212 and NHS Choices webpages which signpost families to wider local support and resources.” 

Jade from Worcester is a mum of three; she said:

“I breastfed all three of my children, but I felt under-prepared for breastfeeding my first baby and not knowing what to expect was one of the biggest barriers I faced. I initially found breastfeeding very painful; I had always heard breastfeeding was painful so I just thought it was normal and would ease in time. It just made things worse. I would encourage any mum struggling to breastfeed to seek support – there’s so much help and advice available. Breastfeeding is a learning curve for both mum and baby but it’s an incredible journey and your confidence grows as you continue.”

West Midlands mum Rasheila Nelson had problems breastfeeding, but then went on to help other new mothers, she said:

“Complications during labour contributed to my initial difficulties trying to breastfeed. I managed to express for nearly three months, but due to lack of knowledge, support and confidence I ended up having to bottle feed – which made me feel incredibly guilty and frustrated, but also made me want to do something to help women struggling like myself. I decided to volunteer on the post-natal wards at Birmingham Women’s Hospital and after a few weeks I attended a 10-week UNICEF Baby Friendly training course, which made me very passionate about breastfeeding. A lot of hospitals rely on volunteers to support new mothers on post-natal wards, but having something like the Start4Life chatbot is a great way for new mums to get expert knowledge whenever they need it at home.” 

For more information, advice and tips on breastfeeding visit: www.nhs.uk/start4life